AREQUIPA, Peru – The group Diktyonwhich monitors the internet situation on the Island, assures that there has been a connectivity blackout in the country since this Friday as a result of the collapse of the national electrical system (SEN).
The active polling of the IODA platform (@IODA_live) shows the magnitude of the deterioration of internet traffic in Cuba since 11:00 AM on October 18, informs the group via X (formerly Twitter).
Typically, the active polling signal drops during the night and recovers during the day, the publication notes.
On a “normal day” for Cuba, such as October 17, the active survey reaches its minimum values around 5:00 AM, Cuba time, and reaches its maximum values around 9:00 PM.
“Compared to October 18, the differences are clearly seen (…) The BGP protocol traffic between the edge routers has not suffered any problems. This traffic is carried out between Autonomous Systems, in this case between ETECSA, the Cuban ISP, and foreign telecommunications companies,” warns Diktyon.
Likewise, the Cuban group points out that on Friday morning network packet traffic remained low: between 24% and 44% of the normalized value for those hours. Even today, the internet blackout continues on the Island.
“Electric blackouts directly affect Internet service in Cuba; not only to communication but also access to online information and services crucial to everyday life”, highlights the publication.
This October 18, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) reported on the social network
In this way, the entity confirmed the complaints on social networks that indicated a nationwide blackout that affected Cubans throughout the day and night. The event has been reported in national and international media.
Internet speed in Cuba according to Diktyon report
“In April 2024, the situation of internet speed in Cubaboth in mobile and fixed broadband, remained critical compared to other countries. According to the Ookla Global Speedtest Index, Cuba continued in the lowest position in both categories,” indicates a Diktyon report published last July.
Regarding the internet service through mobile data, the researchers reported an average download speed of 4.15 Mbps and an upload speed of 4.12 Mbps. This performance places Cuba in last place worldwide (the Island occupies ranked 144th out of 144 countries evaluated).
As for fixed broadband, the situation is equally unfavorable. The country remained in last place, number 181, with an average download speed of 2.95 Mbps and an upload speed of just 0.96 Mbps.
However, the Cubans may experience even lower internet speeds, as these numbers represent the median of reports uploaded from Cuba to the Ookla platform.
