Havana, Jan 7 (Prensa Latina) Cuban phone company (ETECSA) has so far digitalized more than 85 percent of its lines in the Island as part of a modernization and expansion process started a decade ago.

The 14 province capitals and other important cities by the end of 2004 had already installed this technology that improves the transmission quality of voice and data through the phone line, email and internet services.

Investments carried out in the sector support important sectors of the national economy and services such as the setting up of two educational TV channels and the connection of more than 300 Young Clubs of Computer Science.

The substitution of lines still connected to analogical phone plants will continue in 2005, said Luis Sánchez, planning manager of ETECSA, in statements to the local press.

The Island will have more than 90 percent of digital connections within three years. The technology will spread in the country according to the social and economic needs of each community, Sánchez said.

Cuba purchased the first digital phone plant in 1991 in view of the 11th Pan American Games in Havana and other plants were installed later in Havana and Varadero beach resort.

The digitalization process started to expand in 1998 to other provinces such as Matanzas, Santa Clara, Camaguey, Santiago de Cuba, Las Tunas and Bayamo.

The evolution of digitalization in Cuba in the last 10 years has been favorable because the number of lines has doubled.