Cuba allows islanders to rent out their home phones for long-distance, international calls

HAVANA – Cuba has approved a new area of private-sector enterprise that will let islanders sell phone services to their neighbors.

A Labor Ministry resolution describes the newly legalized position as "telecommunications agent."

Many domestic land lines are not set up for placing long-distance and international calls, though they can receive them.

Cubans with long-distance lines will be able to contract with telecom monopoly Etecsa to rent out their home phones by the minute. Pricing is to be the same as what Etecsa charges customers, with the company paying the private contractors a commission.

Cuba has some 1.2 million phone lines and 1.8 million cellphones for a population of around 11 million.

The resolution was made public Tuesday. It said the agents will be able to offer Internet in the future.