MindBullets 20 Years

GOOGLE INVADES CUBA

People rejoice as Castro's firewall goes up in smoke

Google Networks has launched its balloon and drone infrastructure over Cuba, bringing wireless internet to everyone in the country, for free.

It’s great for Cubans, who have endured decades of poor connectivity and strong censorship, but it’s even greater for Google, who now has millions of new users for its advertising and products. It’s liberating.

“Cubans have been cut off from the benefits of being online for far too long,” said Larry Page. “It’s about time they had the opportunity to freely engage with the world, and all it has to offer.”

Google Networks is providing high-speed wireless broadband directly to end users from solar-powered drones and algorithmically stable transponder balloons, which in turn are connected via satellite to Google’s backbone. Google has also sponsored internet cafes-in-a-box, run from shipping containers, in key urban locations.

As digital freedom engulfs Cuba, and the old ideological barriers tumble, a radical blogger tweeted that what America could not do in 60 years with military might, Google has achieved in 36 months with technology.

Not all Cubans are delighted. Retired leader Fidel Castro accused President Barack Obama of sweet-talking the Cuban people during his visit to the island in 2016: “We don’t need the empire to give us anything.” More recently though, it was rumored that he requested a Netflix subscription.

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