Cuban Fiber Optic Cable Agent

The primary Cuban agent responsible for the ARIMAO submarine fiber optic cable is ETECSA S.A., Cuba's state telecommunications company.

Overview of the ARIMAO Cable

The ARIMAO submarine cable is a 2,470–2,500 km fiber optic system connecting Cienfuegos, Cuba, to Martinique, designed to improve Cuba's international internet connectivity and broadband capacity . Deployment began on December 8, 2022, with the cable-laying ship Pierre de Fermat completing the installation by January 10, 2023 . The project is a collaboration between ETECSA S.A. and the French company Orange S.A., with Orange Marine, a subsidiary of Orange, handling the undersea installation .

Role of ETECSA S.A.

ETECSA S.A. (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A.) serves as the Cuban agent and operator for the ARIMAO cable. Its responsibilities include:

• Coordinating the deployment and integration of the cable with Cuba's terrestrial network .
• Managing the connection process and testing of the cable to ensure operational readiness .
• Expanding internet capacity and diversifying access sources within Cuba, including mobile and broadband services .
• Overseeing ongoing maintenance and network performance to optimize connectivity .

Operational Impact

Since activation, the ARIMAO cable has tripled Cuba's internet connection capacity, reaching a global connection of 380 Gbps and significantly increasing mobile internet traffic . Despite these improvements, challenges remain, including infrastructure limitations and high demand, which ETECSA continues to address through network expansions and upgrades .

Summary

For any inquiries or coordination regarding Cuba's international fiber optic connectivity, ETECSA S.A. is the official Cuban agent, working in partnership with international companies like Orange S.A. to manage the ARIMAO cable and related telecommunications infrastructure .