#137: Cuba's Digital Future

Tech Policy Podcast

TechFreedom

Technology

4.8 • 45 Ratings

🗓️ 1 November 2016

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Under decades of communist rule, Cuba lagged far behind much of the world in technology and digital connectivity. In 2014, less than 30 percent of Cubans had Internet access. Yet in recent years, Cuba has made significant strides — more public Wi-Fi hotspots are being deployed, and the U.S. and Cuban governments are normalizing relations. What does Cuba’s digital future look like? What does this mean for Cuban-Americans and tech entrepreneurs? Evan is joined by Adelina Bryant and Michael Maisel from the Engage Cuba coalition and Lydia Beyoud, senior tech and telecom reporter for Bloomberg BNA. For more, see www.engagecuba.org.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Tech Policy Podcast. I'm Evan Schwarzenauer. On today's show, Cuba's digital future,
0:11.3	as President Obama looks to normalize relations with Cuba and end a decades-long embargo,
0:16.7	what are the challenges that lie ahead? How does Cuba get connected? How can Americans now take advantage of this new situation and make contact with relatives in Cuba and vice versa?
0:27.5	Joining me to discuss this are several guests.
0:29.7	I'll start by introducing them one at a time.
0:32.2	Addy Bryant is the chief of staff at Engage Cuba.
0:34.6	Adi, thanks for joining.
0:36.0	Thank you.
0:36.7	Michael Meisel, Director of External Affairs at Engage Cuba. Michael, thanks for joining. Thank you. Michael Meisel, Director of External Affairs at Engage Cuba.
0:39.3	Michael, thanks for joining.
0:41.3	Thank you.
0:42.3	And we also have Lydia Bayyude, senior tech and telecom reporter for Bloomberg BNA, who has been
0:46.3	following the Cuba issue closely. Lydia, thanks for joining.
0:48.3	Thanks for having me.
0:49.3	So guys, let's start out by kind of setting the stage for what Cuba looks like now when it comes to technology.
0:55.8	Because while it is easier to travel there now, probably most Americans don't really have a clear concept of what life is like in Cuba when it comes to technology.
1:04.6	But let's actually start by introducing the coalition.
1:07.4	What is Engage Cuba, Addy, if you want to take a shot at that.
1:12.0	Yeah, sure. Engage Cuba is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to lifting the trade and travel ban with Cuba,
1:18.8	otherwise known as the embargo. Since President Obama and President Castro announced they were
1:25.4	normalizing relations on December 17th, 2014.
1:28.9	We identified that Congress was kind of the next step.
	...

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