Cubans granted free mobile access as part of a pilot program

Cubans were granted free mobile Internet access as part of a pilot program by the state telecommunications company ETECSA. More than 5 million prepaid cell phone customers received a free 70 MB data package valid through midnight. The move comes after a smaller pilot test, which lasted five hours. The telecommunications company has previously said that its 5 million customers would have internet access this year but it has not announced a date. Public access to the internet in Cuba was limited to tourist hotels until 2013. The government has since authorized Wi-Fi hotspots and cybercafes.