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Raul Castro

Cubans Swarm to Cell Phones

Posted on April 28, 2008 by Cami Martin
Topics: Technology and the Internet
Countries: Cuba
Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vox/277489128/">voxphoto (flickr)</a>
Photo: voxphoto (flickr)

In a span of just ten days, 7,400 Cubans signed new mobile phone contracts. On April 14, President Raul Castro lifted a ban restricting ordinary citizens from purchasing personal cell phones. The number of contracts is impressive, the BBC reports, considering that a cell phone in Cuba costs six times the average monthly salary.

Under Raul's brother Fidel, only government officials and people working for foreign firms were allowed to own cell phones. In addition to lifting the ban on personal cell phones, Raul Castro has lifted restrictions on DVDs, car rentals and other goods.

What more changes in Raul Castro's Cuba lie ahead?

Keywords: cell phones, Raul Castro

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