The Age of Wifi in Cuba: Trends, Use and Distribution Between Habaneros and Extranjeros

Is wifi a human right? Is it utilized individually or in social settings? What are the biggest complaints surrounding wifi? This study was conducted in Spring of 2017, during a semester abroad at La Universidad de La Habana... [ view full abstract ]

Is wifi a human right? Is it utilized individually or in social settings? What are the biggest complaints surrounding wifi? This study was conducted in Spring of 2017, during a semester abroad at La Universidad de La Habana in Havana, Cuba. This research is the first of its kind, as no informative body of literature currently exists to explain who is using the state-owned wifi, how frequently, for which purposes, etc. The objectives of the study were: to identify the reasons Cubans use wifi and compare these reasons within and outside of the Cuban population, to analyze the accessibility (geographically and economically) of wifi in Cuba and how it reinforces existing societal stereotypes, to explore the tendencies of an emerging culture of wifi in Cuba, and to provide a format for the collection of data in relation to wifi in Cuba that can be repeated and used in the future to improve internet conditions. One hundred surveys were passed out (50 in Spanish to Cubans, 50 in English to foreigners) at local wifi parks and hotels. The questions this study answers may be crucial to understanding the future of Cuba, both on and off the grid.