Cubans sign up for first legal mobile phones

Hundreds of Cubans lined up at state-owned telephone offices on Monday to buy mobile-phone services previously available only to government officials and foreigners.

President Raul Castro, who took power in February, has moved quickly to ease restrictions in the communist country and the new reform allows Cubans to buy mobile phones for the first time or register those they had held illegally.

"It is an advance, like other things that are happening in Cuba now," said Alejandro, smiling with his new contract in hand. The self-employed Cuban has used a mobile phone illegally for years in the name of a foreigner.

"Before we had to get the line through a foreigner, who was the only person authorised to do so," said Mayerlin, a mother of two, waiting in line for her telephone.

Thousands of Cubans were expected to take advantage of the opportunity to buy the service in the coming days, even though it costs the equivalent of nine months' pay for the average wage-earner.

"It is a very good measure, but what we earn does not correspond with the price," said 33-year-old Gustavo, who nevertheless waited with around 100 others at an office in Havana's colonial district to buy the service.

Cuba has the lowest rate of mobile-phone use in Latin America. Customers will pay for their calls with prepaid cards bought in hard currency, and will be able to receive and make international calls.

New freedoms
Raul Castro has moved quickly to lift what he has called "excessive prohibitions" in Cuba since succeeding his ailing older brother Fidel Castro as president in February.

Cubans are now allowed to buy DVD players, computers and other electronic goods, and stay at tourist hotels previously reserved only for foreigners.