Good news for any tricky to get hold of person living in Cuba: the government there has decided that its present rules that only foreigners or government officials can own a cellphone is a little restrictive, and so in a few days time the wireless world will be thrown open and anybody - as long as they have the hard cash - will be able to pick up a handset.  The phones will all be pre-pay, rather than contract based.

Credit: Reuters/Enrique De La Osa

It’s the first of what’s expected to be multiple moves by new president Raul Castro, as part of his promise to begin lifting “excessive regulations and prohibitions” within weeks of taking power.  Computers and DVD players are believed to be the next consumer electronics to be made available.

The service will be operated by carrier ETECSA, in which Telecom Italia hold a 27-percent stake, who are promising to invest some of the proceeds into developing Cuba’s sparse landline network.