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1st LD Writethru: Cuba, U.S. telecom firms conclude talks to sign accord for direct connection

Xinhua, February 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

Cuba's state-owned Telecommunications Company SC (Etecsa) announced Friday that it had completed talks with the U.S. IDT Domestic Telecom, INC. (IDT) over the signing of a Service Agreement for the Operation of International Telecommunications, which will allow direct interconnection between the United States and Cuba.

No details of the talks between Etecsa and IDT, or the content of the agreement to be signed, are available. There is a statement posted at Etecsa's website featuring the talks between the two companies.

"The restoration of direct communications between the U.S. and Cuba will allow greater facilities and quality in the communications between the people of both nations," said the Cuban company in the statement, indicating that now relevant approvals are expected from the U.S. authorities to implement the agreement.

Etecsa, owned by the Cuban government, is the only company allowed so far in the country to provide public and private telephone service, and Internet connectivity. Endite