Just how big is the Cuban market for US tech?

US tech companies are eyeing eased trade regulations with Cuba with interest.

On January 15, the US Departments of Treasury and Commerce issued orders that should make it easier for US tech companies to enter the tricky Cuban market. As to how big that opportunity will be and how long it will take to develop remain big questions. In the telecommunications sector, there is a new general license to ease the “establishment of commercial telecommunications facilities linking third countries and Cuba and in Cuba.” And a new general license by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) should ease the sales of “certain consumer devices, related software applications, hardware and services for communications related systems. It’s clear that there is pent-up need for communications and other tech services in Cuba where personal ownership of cell phones or computers was prohibited until 2009.