US telecommunication firm IDT establishes direct connection with Cuba

Direct telephone connections between the United States and Cuba have been established under the first commercial accord realized since the December rapprochement between the two longtime adversaries, Cuba's national telecommunications provider said.

The US-based IDT Corp reached an agreement with Cuba's Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (ETECSA) to provide direct international long distance telephony. This marks the first finalized agreement between companies from the two countries since the joint Dec. 17 announcement by US President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro that they would restore diplomatic relations. IDT announced on Feb. 20 the agreement was filed with the Federal Communications Commission and was subject to FCC review.