Cell Phones and Reality TV Come to Cuba

President Obama is fulfilling a campaign promise today by announcing lighter restrictions on travel and money transfers between Cuban Americans and their families in Cuba.

As part of the announcement, which is expected later today, Obama is also promising to issue licenses to telecom companies and other firms so they can provide cell phone and cable services for Cuban households, according to the Associated Press.

The move evidently advances efforts made by former President George W. Bush last May when he began allowing cell phones among the items U.S. family members could send to their relatives in Cuba.

But that turned out to be an empty gesture, since residents in Cuba often couldn't get a signal. Allowing licenses for American firms to provide the service directly to Cubans, instead of just through U.S. service contracts, will presumably solve that problem. Obama's new Cuba policy will also allow new television service contracts for Cubans.

While the administration does not plan to lift the trade embargo with Cuba, the changes announced today are meant to help the country's residents become less dependent on Castro's regime.

by Megan Barnett