Due to an official embargo placed on Cuba by the USA, you cannot use a US-issued credit card in Cuba.
There are a number of other things that are tricky to do in Cuba too, making a phone call to the USA is one of them.
When you are on a trip to Cuba, it is understandable that you might want to phone home at some point.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll be taking a look at how to make a phone call to the USA from Cuba. So, keep on reading to find out more.
Can You Call the US From Cuba?
First things first, let’s take a look at whether, or not, you can call the US from Cuba. Of course, you can!
You can make local and international calls effortlessly from Cuba, so ringing the USA is a piece of cake. As long as you know how to do it.
Cuba is famous for being slightly behind the rest of the world when it comes to technology, but it is possible to make both cellphone and landline phone calls from Cuba to other countries around the world.
As usual, when you are ringing internationally from a country, you will need to know a number of different codes to make an international call. We will take a look at these codes shortly.
There are a number of different ways that you can make a phone call from Cuba to the US. So, let’s dive right in and take a look at how to do this.
How to Make a Phone Call From Cuba to the US
As we have mentioned, making a phone call from Cuba to the USA is fairly easy, as long as you know what you are doing.
Using a Cellphone
The cellular service in Cuba is controlled by a single company – Cubacel.
Cubacel is a Cuban company, and as a result, they only allow cell phones that are connected to this company to use the cell service in Cuba.
So, if you want to make a phone call using your cellphone, you will need to purchase a Cubacel SIM.
Thankfully, you can easily purchase one for a cheap rate from the Cubacel offers that are located all across Cuba.
Once you have a Cubacel SIM in your phone, you will be able to use your cellphone freely in Cuba.
Although it is worth noting that you will have to pay for all the texts and calls that you make using that phone on top of the daily rate you are already paying for the SIM.
To make an international call to the US using your cellphone in Cuba, you cannot simply call the number that you want to ring.
Instead, you will have to begin by dialing the country code for Cuba which is “53” and the area code that you are ringing from.
You will easily be able to find this out by speaking to the front of house staff at your hotel.
Once you have dialed these numbers, you will then have to enter the country code for the area that you want to ring. For the USA, the country code is 1.
So simply dial this before inputting the number that you actually want to ring. You will then shortly be connected to the number that you want to speak to.
It is quite a lengthy process, but as long as you have a Cubacel SIM, you will be able to make a phone call to the USA.
From a Telephone
If you don’t want to pay for a Cubacel SIM, then it is also possible to make a phone call to the USA using a telephone.
There are a number of phone boxes around Cuba which you can use to call internationally. Likewise, most hotels will offer telephones for their guests to use.
To make an international call to the USA from Cuba, you will first need to dial 119, followed by your country’s code.
As we have just said, the country code for the USA and Canada is 1.
After that, you will then need to dial the area code for the area of that country, if you are ringing home, then you will likely already know what the area code is.
Once you have done that, you can then dial the telephone number that you want to ring, and your call will be connected.
Why Can’t I Use My Cellphone?
As we have just established, you will only be able to use your cell phone to ring the USA if you purchase a Cubacel SIM.
While the going rate for these SIMs are low, the cost for calls and texts (especially international calls and texts) is quite high, which is why it might be best to use a telephone at your hotel if this is possible.
However, if you are adamant that you want to use your cellphone, then you will have to buy a Cubacel SIM.
Cubacel controls the mobile phone networks in Cuba, and only Cubacel SIMs will be able to connect to their towers.
So, if your phone does not have a Cubacel SIM, then it will not connect to the network, and you will not be able to ring anyone.
So, it is possible to use your cellphone in Cuba, as long as you are prepared to pay the money for a Cubacel SIM.
Once you arrive in Cuba, you will find a Cubacel office at the airport. So, you can easily purchase a SIM as soon as you arrive.
You will have to pay a deposit, buy a prepaid card, and pay a daily rate. It isn’t the cheapest option, but if you want to be able to use your cellphone while you are on your trip, it is definitely worth it.
Where Can I Find a Phone
If you decide that you aren’t prepared to pay the fees associated with a Cubacel SIM, then you will need to use a telephone instead.
You will be able to find telephone boxes in multiple locations across Cuba. But, your best bet is to speak to your hotel.
A lot of hotels will offer telephones in the hotel rooms themselves, and you can easily use these to phone the USA.
All you have to do is follow the instructions that we gave you earlier, and you will be able to make contact with the USA.
If your hotel doesn’t have a telephone in the room, then you should speak to the front of house staff at the hotel and they will be able to point you in the right direction.
Summary
In short, making a phone call from Cuba to the US isn’t the easiest task because you will need to use area codes.
However, in this ultimate guide, we have told you how to make this call using both a cellphone and a telephone.
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