515.542—Mail and telecommunications-related transactions.
(a)
All transactions of common carriers incident to the receipt or transmission of mail between the United States and Cuba are authorized.
(b)
All transactions, including but not limited to payments, incident to the provision of telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba, the provision of satellite radio or satellite television services to Cuba, or the entry into and performance under roaming service agreements with telecommunications services providers in Cuba, by a telecommunications services provider that is a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction are authorized. This paragraph does not authorize any transactions addressed in paragraphs (c), (d), (f) or (g) of this section, nor does it authorize the entry into or performance of a contract with or for the benefit of any particular individual in Cuba.
(c)
All persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are authorized to enter into, and make payments under, contracts with non-Cuban telecommunications services providers, or particular individuals in Cuba, for telecommunications services provided to particular individuals in Cuba, provided that such individuals in Cuba are not prohibited officials of the Government of Cuba, as defined in § 515.337 of this part, or prohibited members of the Cuban Communist Party, as defined in § 515.338 of this part. The authorization in this paragraph includes, but is not limited to, payment for activation, installation, usage (monthly, pre-paid, intermittent, or other), roaming, maintenance, and termination fees.
(d)
(1) General license for telecommunications facilities linking the United States and Cuba.
Transactions incident to the establishment of facilities to provide telecommunications services linking the United States and Cuba, including but not limited to fiber-optic cable and satellite facilities, are authorized.
(2) Specific licenses for telecommunications facilities linking third countries and Cuba.
Specific licenses may be issued on a case-by-case basis authorizing transactions incident to the establishment of facilities to provide telecommunications services linking third countries and Cuba, including but not limited to fiber-optic cable and satellite facilities, provided that such facilities are necessary to provide efficient and adequate telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba.
(e)
Any entity subject to U.S. jurisdiction relying on paragraph (b), (c), (d)(1), or (d)(2) of this section shall notify OFAC in writing within 30 days after commencing or ceasing to offer such services, as applicable, and shall furnish by January 15 and July 15 of each year semiannual reports providing the total amount of all payments made to Cuba or a third country related to any of the services authorized by this section during the prior six months. These notifications and reports must be captioned “ Section 515.542 Notification” or “ Section 515.542 Report” and faxed to 202/622-6931 or mailed to the Office of Foreign Assets Control, Attn: Policy Division, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Annex-4th Floor, Washington, DC 20220.
(f)
For the purposes of this section, the term telecommunications services includes but is not limited to telephone, telegraph, and similar services and the transmission of satellite radio and satellite television broadcasts and news wire feeds.
(g)
Nothing in this section authorizes the exportation or re-exportation of any items to Cuba. For the rules related to authorization of exports and re-exports to Cuba, see §§ 515.533 and 515.559 of this part.
(h)
For an authorization of travel-related transactions that are directly incident to the commercial marketing, sales negotiation, accompanied delivery, or servicing in Cuba of telecommunications-related items that have been authorized for commercial export to Cuba by the U.S. Department of Commerce, see § 515.533(f) of this part. For an authorization of travel-related transactions that are directly incident to participation in professional meetings for the commercial marketing of, sales negotiation for, or performance under contracts for the provision of the telecommunications services, or the establishment of facilities to provide telecommunications services, authorized by paragraphs (b), (c), or (d)(1) of this section, see paragraph (a)(3) of § 515.564 of this part. Nothing in this § 515.542 authorizes transactions related to travel to, from, or within Cuba.