Contact us
Scientic and Technical Surveillance and Information Division, ETECSA
Adress: Miramar Trade Center, 3rd Street between 76 y 78,
Beijing Building, 4th Floor, oce 404. Playa, C.P.: 11300. Havana, Cuba.
Phone : (53) 7266-8453
Email: tono@etecsa.cu
Website: www.revistatonoetecsa.cu
Tono, Scientic-Technical Journal of the
Telecommunications Company of Cuba S.A.
The opinions expressed by the authors in the articles
reect their own points of view and do not necessarily
coincide with the criteria of the editorial board.
The articles in this publication have been subjected to
double-blind peer review.
RNPS: 0514 ISSN: 2224-6274
Scientic-Technical Journal
Biannual Publication Vol.21 - No. 1 - 2025
Cover:
AI
Scientic Advisory Committee
Melissa Saltiel Delgado, MSc
Mirta Julieta García García, MSc
María del Pilar Caso Álvarez, MSc
Alberto García García, MSc
Fidel Mirabal Puig, MSc
Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief
Grisel Ojeda Amador, MSc Executive editor
Alena Bastos Baños, B.A.
Section editor
Ines María León, B.A. Proofreading
Mirtha Ulloa, B.A.
Translation
Armando Camejo Hernández, B.A.
Frans Carlos Castellanos Caballero, B.A.
Odalys Ojeda Fuentes, B.A.
Idalmis María Barbería Espinosa, B.A.
Luis Mario Caso González, B.A.
Alejandro Daniel Fadragas Robaina, B.A.
Design and Layout
Marcel Mazorra Martínez, B.A.
Programming and Technical Assistance
Maritza de la C. Menéndez Figueredo, Eng.
Data review
Alejandra Alpizar Carracedo, B.A.
Darian Díaz, Eng.
Arbitrators
Caridad Anías Calderón, Ph.D. (CUJAE)
Félix Álvarez Paliza, Ph.D. (UCLV)
Glauco Antonio Guillén Nieto, Ph.D. (LACETEL)
José Raúl Vento Álvarez, Ph.D. (UPR)
Alain Garófalo Hernández, Ph.D. (CUJAE)
Osvaldo Andrés Pérez García, Ph.D. (CENATAV)
Lindsay Alonso Gómez Beltrán, Ph.D. (Univ. Camagüey)
Arturo César Arias Orizondo, Ph.D. (UCI)
Omar Correa Madrigal, Ph.D. (UCI)
Gregory Randall, Ph.D. (Univ. de la República, Uruguay)
María Matilde García Lorenzo, Ph.D. ( UCLV)
Raúl E. Rodríguez Doncel, Eng. (CONAS)
Arelys Emiliana Ramos Fleites, MSc (CUCLV)
Ana Margarita Méndez Ramos, MSc (ETECSA)
Sandra Almodóvar Núñez, MSc (CPNNA)
Alberto Javier García García, MSc. (ETECSA)
Joel Pérez Hernández, Eng. (ETECSA)
Fidel Mirabal Puig, Eng. (ETECSA)
Juan Enrique Pretel Lemes, Eng (ETECSA)
Jorge Gulín González,Ph.D (UCI)
Kevin Castro Rodríguez, Eng (ETECSA)
4
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Dear readers,
We are pleased to present this new issue of Tono Journal,
which showcases the vitality and ingenuity of the scientic
and technical community like no other. The papers in this
issue once again reveal that in Cuba, innovation is fueled
by a powerful combination of an understanding of global
trends and the creative ability to apply them to our context
with practical, high-impact solutions.
Undoubtedly, the common thread running through
this issue is the digital transformation that has been
taking place since the beginning of the century. The
article “Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial
Intelligence for Networks” addresses this phenomenon
from its foundations. This paper establishes a dialogue
with one of the most recurrent themes in the scientic eld
in recent years: Articial Intelligence (AI). The theoretical
approach of this paper is complemented by the others
research in this issue. One excellent example is “Python
tool for behavioral studies of IP Pools in the BRAS,” which
uses open-source software to optimize and diagnose our
existing network. This is another example of practical
intelligence that solves specic problems with readily
available resources.
The paper “Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs:
Optimizing Territorial Management Through DashBoard”
reects the same commitment to eciency. In a country where
the rationalization of resources is crucial for development,
this proposal utilizes data to the service of strategic
decision-making, enabling visual, agile, and evidence-based
management to enhance collective performance.
5
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Editorial Team
Tono Scientic-Technical Journal
EDITOR’S LETTER
In terms of physical infrastructure, the “Implementation
of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System” promises to
improve the ecient use of the radio spectrum and enhance
service quality for users. Similarly, the “Wireless Control
of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee
Module” proves the feasibility of automating complex
industrial processes with open, accessible, and locally
developed hardware solutions.
We conclude this journey with a celebration:
“Transfermóvill: 10 Years with Us.” It is more than just
an app; it is a symbol of what can be achieved with the
knowledge of Cuban specialists. Its history reminds that
technology conceived for public service can be integrated
into the lives of Cubans and transforms a nation’s deeply
rooted habits.
In short, this issue is a testament to technological
sovereignty. The journal’s editorial team would like to thank all
the authors and contributors who shared their work, thereby
enriching the elds of national science and technology.
6
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
7
24
34
44
72
TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL.21 1
JANUARY / JULY 2025
58
COLLABORATION
INVESTIGACIÓN
CHRONOLOGY
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for
Networks: Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez, Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial
Management Through a Dashboard
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar,
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino
and XBee Modules
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
7
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Received: 12/2023 | Accepted: 02/2024 | Published: 08/2024
COLLABORATION
1* General Secretary of the Inter-American Association of Telecommunications
Companies (ASIET, by its acronyms in Spanish) and Director of the Center for
Telecommunications Studies of Latin America (cet.la ). maryleana@tel.lat
2 Coordinator of the Center for Telecommunications Studies of Latin America
(cet.la ). luismauricio@tel.lat
Networks for Articial Intelligence
and Articial Intelligence for
Networks: Implications for
Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez, Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
Abstract
The development and widespread growth of AI tools and
solutions creates opportunities with signicant positive eects
for nearly all economic, social, and governmental sectors. For the
telecommunications industry, the transition to AI is a challenge but
also an opportunity. On the one hand, telecommunications enable
AI; however, the increased use of online services based on AI will
put additional pressure on connectivity networks, their costs,
management, and the sustainability of investments required to
maintain and expand them. On the other hand, successfully integrating
AI into the optimization and management of the telecommunications
value chain creates opportunities to increase business protability
and design value propositions for end users and industrial customers.
Keywords: AI, Telecommunications, Networks, Connectivity,
Digital Ecosystem
pp. 7 - 23
8
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Introduction
The development of AI tools and solutions is generating a positive
impact in all sectors, although it is important to address the risks
associated with their use. The transformation is relevant for sectors
related to connectivity, infrastructure and digital systems. Specically
for the telecommunications industry, the transition to AI is a challenge
but also an opportunity.
On the one hand, telecommunications enable AI, but the
increased use of online services based on it will put additional
pressure on connectivity networks, their costs, their management
and the sustainability of investments riquered to maintain and
expand them. On the other hand, successfully integrating AI into
the optimization and management of the telecommunications value
chain creates opportunities to generate eciencies that impact
business protability, as well as design value proposals for end-
users and industrial customers. In addition, AI can be an enabler and
catalyst for the transition of telecommunications companies into
companies providing technological solutions leveraged on capabilities
and resources related to connectivity network infrastructure and
management.
The AI Revolution Begins
Advances in AI in recent years position it as one of the technologies
with the greatest potential to transform the economy and society by
automating tasks at the decision-making scale and (Basso et al., 2025).
The expected potential of AI use is based on its ability to process
information and automate complex processes, and generate eciencies
and innovation in modern digital economies and societies. Eventhough
there are obstacles to its deployment, widespread growth and escalation in
the short term, its adoption is imminent. Technology is rapidly becoming
a fundamental layer in the processes of public and economic value
creation, as well as in the experiences of service users and productive
sectors in the digital ecosystem that employ it.
It is not easy to dene clearly what AI is. In general, the diversity of
denitions focuses on its intention or ability to fulll objectives and
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
9
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
perform functions related to, or at least imitating human skills and
intelligence: perceiving, reasoning, decision-making, reacting and
relating to the environment, as well as internalizing processes of
understanding, learning and feedback (Sheikh et al., 2023). The
European Commission’s High Level Expert Group on AI denes
it as systems that prove intelligent behaviour by analyzing their
environment and taking actions, with a certain degree of autonomy,
so as to achieve specic objectives (European Commission, 2018).
It also categorizes technology into two basic types, those systems
based purely on software, acting in the virtual world (voice assistants,
image analysis software, search engines, speech and face recognition
systems), and those that can be integrated into physical devices
(such as advanced robots, autonomous vehicles, drones or Internet
of Things applications).
Another useful typology to classify AI is according to its practical
applications (Sheikh et al., 2023). There are at least ve general types
for everyday use: Machine Learning, Computer vision, Natural
language processing, Speech recognition and Robotics. There are also
applications that combine various functionalities of these types such
as generative AI (Gen AI) for content creation or the Edge AI or IA at
the edge, which performs AI processing locally on devices and not
in the cloud (Annex 1). All of them with dierent characteristics and
potential uses that together are begining to revolutionize the digital
economy and society, and the operation of networks.
AI requires three layers of key enablers to its deployment and
escalation: (1) access to large volumes of data to train and operate
models, (2) data infrastructure such as data centers and cloud
platforms for data storage and computer processing and (3) electronic
communication networks for data exchange and distributed AI
operations (Stryker, 2024).
Intelligent systems are embedded in infrastructure and processes
related to the digital transformation of public and private services,
as well as industrial uses in a wide range of sectors. In addition,
generative AI is becoming a digital tool available to more people and
workers. Its acceptance and mass use will redene the way people
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
10
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
and businesses relate to digital and physical environments, which
has signicant implications for the digital ecosystem in general and
telecommunications in particular.
Networks for AI - AI for networks: implications for the
digital ecosystem and telecommunications
Telecommunications is positioned at a key intersection in the
advancing AI era: networks as a key element for AI development and
exploitation, and AI as a strategic resource to enhance network and
business models in telecommunications (Jarich, 2025). On the one
hand, networks support computing tasks, communications and data
exchange required for the development, training and deployment of
AI applications. As in previous booms of digitization, networks will
primarily enable the development of digital technologies such as AI.
However, AI will also be a disruptive technology and its impact
will advance rapidly across productive sectors and social arenas
(Ericsson, 2022; Jarich, 2025). AI applications intended to end-user
are democratizing and attracting more and more users. Innovation
soars in general and industrial use cases and applications, as well
as in competitive strategies in economies, markets, businesses, and
organizations to leverage AI. All in a high complexity context for
digital environments and telecommunications. Telecommunications
operations range from voice, text and data to smart networks
solutions that need to be delivered simultaneously. The need for
greater capacity to sustain the growing data trac generated by new
applications is prioritized and connected devices are multiplying
especially in Internet of Things (IoT) environments. Security risks
become more dicult to manage. Customers demand quality user
experiences that match their expectations of digital environments
use, and manufacturing industries are looking for new connectivity
services to help them create business opportunities.
On the other hand, AI promises opportunities for economies and
businesses, representing a window for its use in telecommunications
networks and operations. Like other sectors and industries,
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
11
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
telecommunications is advancing the adoption of AI solutions in
various value chain segments to improve its value oer, generate
eciencies, increase protability and productivity, as well as remain
competitive in a complex sectoral context.
The future of connectivity and telecommunications
networks in the AI era
The massication of AI solutions among productive sectors, end
users of the digital ecosystem and public platforms will impact data
trac on networks, the demand for infrastructure and connectivity
services, and also in new requirements and capabilities in the
management processes of the networks that support the entire digital
ecosystem. This involves a challenge for infrastructure maintenance
and expansion, as well as the sustainability of network investments.
Firstly, it is very likely that in the coming years the networks will
experience a signicant growth of trac and data exchange needs
related to AI. According to Omdia analysis, in 2024, 8% of the trac
on networks was related to new AI trac, either in software or native
AI solutions (use cases that would not exist without AI) or programs
with enhanced functionalities with IA (services that existed before
AI but that now some functionalities are being improved with its
incorporation) (Korolov, 2025). At the same time, 27% of the trac
was concentrated on software functionalities and applications that are
not related to AI (even if the applications have such functionalities).
Conventional trac, that is applications without any AI functionality,
accounted for 66% of the total. The 39 exabytes of AI-related trac
recorded in 2024 is expected to reach up to 79 exabytes in 2025. In
addition, the growth rate of AI trac is projected to be higher than that
of conventional trac (Holma, 2024). By 2030, it is possible that more
than two-thirds of network trac will involve AI, especially in video
and image content (Shrivastava et al, 2025; Javaid & Zerbib, 2024).
The above is attributed to massive use cases such as generative AI,
chatbots, immersive experiences of virtual/augmented reality, video
games and streaming generated by IA, but also its use for optimization
of solutions and digital platforms, communication links (uplink
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
12
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
and downlink), communication between devices, sensors and data
processing (machine to machine), industrial platforms and systems
in real time. AI-powered cloud services require data exchange: data
and information upload for analysis, processing, delivery of results
from AI applications and IoT sensors that deliver data to AI engines.
Secondly, there will be new network requirements and
infrastructure provision to support AI-centric applications. In other
words, not only will there be an increase in trac on the networks,
but the capacity of these networks will have to be higher to
transport larger packets, and maintain continuity and quality in the
connectivity service. This includes the need to have more spectrum
available for mobile broadband, especially in mid-bands for 5G,
sooner than expected to meet the demand for connectivity. Without
more spectrum supply at aordable prices in the face of local market
conditions, there is a risk of experiencing congestion, reduced
quality of service, and lack of capabilities for the development of
new AI use cases (Accenture, 2025). For carriers, it can also mean
the need to implement eciency measures for spectrum use and
allocation, refarming or the reallocation of frequency bands from
2G/3G to 5G spectrum to boost capacity.
There will be an increase in demand for bandwidth and ber optic
backhaul for data packet-intensive applications (video, generative
AI, real-time applications, etc.). Another necessary consideration
will be linked to AI solutions that require low latency (manageable
with 5G) due to their sensitivity to inconsistency and variability in
data transmission (Houpis et al, 2024). Some of these AI applications
are those used in industrial IoT solutions, virtual/augmented reality
(AR/VR) and real-time services such as translations, video games,
autonomous vehicles, or even telemedicine with remote robotic
medical procedures.
Network segmentation (network slicing) can help meet AI-
driven demands (Jarich, 2025), by partitioning networks to adapt
each segment to specic and dierentiated needs for latency,
bandwidth, technical parameters and network prioritization. This
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
13
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
would help manage, ensure service and prioritize the complexity
of trac generated in an AI-powered digital ecosystem. However,
the investment needs for its implementation, the operational
complexity and the immaturity of some business models for its
application hinder the scenery for its development. AI functionalities
that require low latency could lead to decentralization of data
center distribution for information processing, network redesign
and component integration with new hardware specifications (for
example with processing chips) (Body of European Regulators
for Electronic Communications [BEREC], 2023). This will bring
difficulties for equipment investment, integration with legacy
hardware and software systems and implementation of OpenRAN
schemes in the context of technical equipment changes (Uitto, 2024).
Finally, thirdly, there is the need to transform the design and
operation of infrastructure (Javaid & Zerbib, 2024; Pearson, 2024). In
this sense, Edge Computing in networks to shorten the data exchange
distances by bringing processing closer to devices, would be useful
to complement eorts to meet the requirements of an AI-inuenced
network and reduce dependence on network backhaul segments
(BEREC, 2023). Similarly, carriers should prioritize investments to
increase the capacity of the Radio Access Network (RAN) (Jarich,
2025; Holma, 2024). This part of the network is critical to provide
both speed and last mile capacity to users.
It is worth mentioning the relevance of access to energy and data
centers in adjacent arenas of the telecommunications value chain for
the ecient operation of AI solutions.
The challenges of AI in the telecommunications market
Telecommunications networks are the backbone of digital
transformation. They provide the necessary data trac for the online
service provision and have enabled the development of a global
digital ecosystem. In previous waves of digitalization, connectivity
infrastructure has supported and enabled trac generated by digital
service platforms and used up by end users and industrialists for use.
Networks have enabled the transition from telephony and messaging
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
14
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
services to the Internet provider and network infrastructure, as well
as the emergence of the digital revolution driven by the massication
of smart mobile devices and smartphones.
However, telecommunications companies have failed to capture
revenue in proportion to the growth in global trac associated with
the emergence of disruptive technologies such as the introduction of
smartphones, digital platforms and services, as well as video streaming
trac and mass consumption of social media. Between 2010 and
2023, global mobile data trac grew by more than 60%, while total
telcos revenues remained almost constant with growth of just 1%
(Shrivastava et al, 2025). In Latin America, from 2015 to 2023, the
average revenue per user (ARPU, for its acronym in Spanish) in real
terms has fallen by up to 40% for some carriers in the region, and the
protability of the investments also remains low (cet.la & NERA, 2025).
In addition, the investment requirements needed to meet
traffic challenges and pressure on networks pose challenges for
infrastructure sustainability. The Center for Telecommunications
Studies and NERA estimate that it will be necessary to invest
49,100 million dollars until 2030, in addition to those planned for
network operations: 17,000 million dollars to close digital gaps
and modernize networks, and another 32,000 million dollars to
expand the network capacity to be able to support the increase in
traffic (et.al and NERA, 2025). The abovementioned amounts may
underestimate the impact and growth of AI functionalities: some
estimates indicate that Artificial Intelligence will add between 20%
and 80% of traffic to mobile networks, in addition to what was
previously projected (Powell & Hatt, 2025).
The deployment and massification of AI in digital environments
poses challenges for carries: the increase in demand for
connectivity and data traffic, as well as greater complexity in
network operation. The exponential growth of traffic in the
networks, stagnant revenues, intense regulation and competition
in the digital ecosystem, difficulties in increasing profitability and
high infrastructure investment requirements represent trends in
the telecommunications industry that threaten its development.
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
15
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
The essential question for the telecom business is whether the
AI adoption in industry and the broader economy will translate into
an opportunity to generate value and increase the income needed to
make network investment sustainable, or whether, on the contrary, the
disruption of AI will only generate costs for the network infrastructure.
The answer may lie in AI itself, which has the potential to be used as a
resource and a technological capability that oers opportunities for
the telecommunications sector to enable its competitiveness.
Integration of AI into the telecommunications proposal
and value chain
AI also represents an opportunity to optimize the internal
operations in the telecommunications industry, both for carriers and
other sectors related to the connectivity value chain. In other words,
not only networks for AI, but AI for networks. In fact, in 2024 globally,
the telecom industry is the one in which spending on AI platforms
has grown the most and also the sector that invests the most as a
percentage of revenues (Basso et al, 2025). Ericsson’s research reveals
that, already in 2022, 66% of the surveyed carriers had some kind of
AI deployment implemented or under development (Ericsson, 2022).
Some market studies indicate that during 2024 about 90% of
carriers had integrated AI solutions into their operations, with 48%
in pilot phases and 41% with active deployments (Market Growth
Reports, 2025). According to a BEREC survey, telecommunications
companies consider that its adoption in operational processes will
be the criterion by 2030 (2023).
The implementation of AI solutions includes use cases and
applications in virtually all segments and organizational processes
of the telcos value chain (Wall, 2024). For example, in the area of
administrative and corporate management its applications are related
to eciency, cost reduction and automation of processes and systems
that support internal corporate operations. These areas include
human resources, nance, monitoring systems, marketing and sales
processes as well as administrative and legal management. This may
also include the development and management of applications for
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
16
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
IT operations, software and technological capabilities related to
code writing, system optimization and internal information systems
performance (purchase orders and service delivery, collections,
billing, etc.). However, AI support for administrative functions is a
capacity that will be enabled transversely between economic sectors.
Outside the administrative sphere, the integration objectives of
this technology into strategic telecommunications operations are
focused on exploiting operator expertise with predictive AI, as well
as the use of generative AI to drive eciencies, improve customer
experience and automate complex processes, network management
(Market Growth Reports, 2025). This would make it possible to take
advantage of technological solutions so as to optimize and generate
eciencies in processes and develop value propositions for its users,
customers and service recipients.
Carriers will have to prioritize four strategic objectives to address
critical aspects such as operational complexity, revenue weakness
and the transformation of telcos in a volatile environment: cost
reduction, service dierentiation and user experience, safe and
reliable operations and revenue growth (World Economic Forum and
Accenture, 2025).
Cost reduction
The operating costs of telcos remain globally between 65% and
70% of revenues (Gabriel & Venturelli, 2022 as quoted in World
Economic Forum and Accenture, 2025). The annual NVIDIA survey
shows that in 37% of carriers, AI may be reducing costs by more than
5%, and 40% of them comment positive reductions but less than 5%
(NVIDIA, 2025). In 2022, 63% of surveyed carriers mentioned network
operations optimization as one of the main benets of incorporating
AI into their businesses, especially in aspects such as optimization and
improvement of network performance and eciency and anomaly
detection (Ericsson, 2022). AI can help in creating cost-eective
network designs, automating the components integration from multi-
vendor, as well as monitoring performance, and carring out predictive
maintenance. In addition, the transition of network infrastructures
with monolithic architectures to disaggregated hardware and
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
17
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
software layer architectures required for automation of the networks
is promoted (World Economic Forum and Accenture, 2025).
Investing in AI solutions for network operations optimization
brings multiple benets to continuity, stability and quality of service,
as well as speed, eciency and scalability of operations. Given the
pressures on network operation, AI becomes a tool to keep low
management costs and better return on investment. In the area of
intelligent network management, which involves planning, designing,
evolving, deploying infrastructure, operating and managing
networks, the potential is signicant. Some relevant use cases are the
development of network architectures and infrastructure, antenna
and ber deployment patterns, trac and demand projections
and optimization, solution deployment automation, maintenance,
monitoring, optimization and reconguration of real-time parameters
and resources, network virtualization functionalities, as well as
quality of service, power use, cybersecurity and dynamic spectrum
access (GSMA, 2019; Pearson, 2024).
In addition, AI allows performance monitoring, fault detection, as
well as predictive maintenance, preventive and real-time adjustments
of networks, equipment and functionalities. It also includes trac/
demand management, upgrade, integration and automation of
equipment operations and Network Operations Centers. AI can be
essential for managing complex ber-optic networks, 5G and 6G,
while also accelerating the path to greater management autonomy of
these. Similarly, this technology increases the value of Edge Computing
oerings and solutions for industrial robotics, video surveillance,
autonomous vehicles, AR/VR services, network maintenance and
monitoring (Hatt & Jarich, 2025).
Dierentiation in service and customer experience
More than 70% of survey respondents by Ericsson mentioned
this as one of the most important benets of AI for their business,
including customer care and management solutions (Ericsson, 2022).
This would allow a dierentiation in their services compared to
competitors and reverse the drop in revenues. Carriers implementing
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
18
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
AI solutions report signicant increases in customer satisfaction
(Market Growth Reports, 2025).
This group of solutions includes customer relationships,
quality and personalization in care, contact channels, and in
general, AI-enabled interactions for user attraction and retention.
Chatbots, virtual assistants and digital self-service platforms are
key applications in AI adoption. The functionalities also extend to
the monitoring and analysis of customer experience data, service
quality, churn prediction and proactive retention. And for users in
the business segment and industrial applications allows to oer better
business-to-business (B2B) services as portals for corporate users
designed to manage their telecommunications resources dynamically,
with self-service capability, for the provision of IoT devices on the
network or troubleshooting connectivity issues on site.
Safe and reliable operations
These administrative functions include high-priority specialized
areas such as network security and technology systems that could
be leveraged in the IA to detect and address threats to critical
infrastructure and operating and customer service platforms. The
new risk scenario in digital environments requires telcos to adapt to
new threats, but also opportunities, which brings the introduction of
AI into cybersecurity issues. This technology works to identify and
remedy vulnerabilities, and analyze real-time security incidents or
prevent fraud.
Revenue growth
Approximately 25% of telecommunications companies report that
implementing AI solutions in their operations increases revenues by
more than 5% (NVIDIA, 2025). Some specic initiatives for revenue
growth relate to marketing, sales, and product development. In these
areas, processes such as product lifecycle management, customer
acquisition and retention strategy redesign, market segmentation,
user-anticipating customer journeys, marketing targeting and
advertising, pricing strategies, oers, and loyalty programs can be
transformed. For B2B services, improved infrastructure with AI
capabilities can be leveraged and data center services can be oered
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
19
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
alongside cloud, Edge, and connectivity solutions (World Economic
Forum and Accenture, 2025; Shrivastava et al., 2025).
In the future, the use of AI could not only generate eciencies
in telecommunications operators’ current processes, but could also
accelerate and make more protable the transition to new business
models that will lead companies in the industry to cease being solely
telcos and transform themselves into techcos, or connectivity and
technological solution providers in verticals adjacent to their core
business, but leveraged on the capabilities and resources obtained in
the delivery of their services. This transition requires a rethinking of
operating and business models, as well as the necessary technological
layers. Diversication and transitioning to tech companies have the
potential to increase revenue and move to other links in the value
chain. These links are leveraged by AI to dynamically respond to user
needs (World Economic Forum and Accenture, 2025).
Conclusions
In the AI era, telecommunications are at a strategic intersection.
On the one hand, connectivity networks enable the development
of AI within the digital economy, industry, and society ecosystems.
However, the increased demand for connectivity infrastructure,
triggered by the use of AI-based solutions, poses signicant challenges
to the sustainability of infrastructure investments. On the other
hand, integrating AI into telecommunications operations creates
opportunities for greater eciency and new service and business
models beyond traditional connectivity schemes. This could usher in
a new era of AI-powered telecommunications.
With the emergence of AI and its widespread use by consumers
and productive sectors, it is necessary to address the risk that we will
follow the same trend as in previous waves. This trend includes the
intensication of network usage requirements, an inability to balance
the sharing of costs and benets in the ecosystem, and greater nancial
fragility to sustain infrastructure expansion and maintenance.
All players in the ecosystem must address the implications of
this trend in digital environments. Operators must have a strategic
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
20
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
vision to capitalize on the AI revolution. Authorities must modernize
the regulatory and public policy environment in the sector. Given
the support they provide to the digital ecosystem as a whole, other
stakeholders must recognize the importance of the sustainability
of connectivity networks and services. In this context, the sector
must evolve to provide smart and sustainable connectivity services
for people, devices, services, and platforms. Similarly, public and
regulatory policies must advance to ensure the adoption, management,
and development of AI solutions in the telecommunications value
chain.
References
Accenture (2025). The Looming Spectrum Crisis. CTIA U.S. Wireless
communications industry. Disponible en: https://www.ctia.org/news/the-
looming-spectrum-crisis
Basso M., Capaccio F., Hoang J., White K. y O’Regan K. (2025). AI in Action:
Beyond Experimentation to Transform Industry. Foro Económico Mundial
(WEF) y Accenture. Flagship White Paper Series. https://reports.weforum.
org/docs/WEF_AI_in_Action_Beyond_Experimentation_to_Transform_
Industry_2025.pdf
Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications, BEREC (2023).
BEREC Report on the impact of Articial Intelligence (AI) solutions in the
telecommunications sector on regulation. BoR (23) 93. Disponible en:
https://www.berec.europa.eu/en/document-categories/berec/reports/
berec-report-on-the-impact-of-articial-intelligence-ai-solutions-in-the-
telecommunications-sector-on-regulation
Centro de Estudios de Telecomunicaciones de América Latina, cet.la y NERA
(2025). Contribución del conjunto del ecosistema digital al desarrollo
sostenible de infraestructura de telecomunicaciones. Disponible en: https://
cet.la/estudios/cet-la/contribucion-del-conjunto-del-ecosistema-digital-al-
desarrollo-sostenible-de-infraestructura-de-telecomunicaciones/
Comisión Europea (2018). A denition of AI: main capabilities and scientic
disciplines. Directorate-General for Communication, High-Level Expert Group
on Articial Intelligence. Disponible en: https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/
system/les/ged/ai_hleg_denition_of_ai_18_december_1.pdf
Ericsson (2022). AI business potential: understanding the value of AI for telecom
operations. Disponible en: https://www.ericsson.com/4ac6ca/assets/local/
reports-papers/further-insights/doc/ai-business-potential.pdf
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
21
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Foro Económico Mundial y Accenture (2025). Articial Intelligence in
Telecommunications. World Economic Forum (WEF) Whitepaper. Disponible
en: https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_AI_in_Action_Beyond_
Experimentation_to_Transform_Industry_2025.pdf
Gabriel, C., & M. Venturelli. (2022). Telecoms opex: worldwide trends and fore-
cast 2020-2027. Analysys Mason. Disponible en: https://www.analysysmason.
com/research/content/reports/opex-forecast-2022-rdns0/
GSMA (2019). AI in Network Use Cases in China. Disponible en: https://www.
gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/networks/wp-content/
uploads/2019/10/AI-in-Networks-Use-Case-V.03-231019-Document.pdf
Hatt, T. y Jarich, P. (2025). Distributed inference: how AI can turbocharge
theedge. GSMA Intelligence. Disponible en: https://www.gsmaintelligence.
com/research/distributed-inference-how-ai-can-turbocharge-the-edge
Holma, Harri (2024). The AI revolution: Preparing for a surge in 5G uplink
trac. Nokia. Disponible en: https://www.nokia.com/blog/the-ai-revolution-
preparing-for-a-surge-in-5g-uplink-trac/
Houpis G., Kenny C. y Ovington T. (2024). The impact of articial intelligence on
the telecoms sector. Frontier Economics. Disponible en: https://www.frontier-
economics.com/uk/en/news-and-insights/articles/article-i20841-the-impact-
of-articial-intelligence-on-the-telecoms-sector/
Jarich, Peter (2025). The mobile AI era: what it means for mobile networks. GSMA
Intelligence. Disponible en: https://www.gsmaintelligence.com/research/the-
mobile-ai-era-what-it-means-for-mobile-networks
Javaid, U. y Zerbib, B. (2024). AI needs a new networking core: Are we ready for
it? Disponible en: https://inform.tmforum.org/features-and-opinion/ai-needs-
a-new-networking-core-are-we-ready-for-it
Korolov, Maria (2025). AI workloads set to transform enterprise networks.
Disponible en: https://www.networkworld.com/article/3963141/ai-workloads-
to-transform-enterprise-networks.html
Market Growth Reports (2025). AI in Telecommunication Market [...].
Disponible en: https://www.marketgrowthreports.com/market-reports/ai-in-
telecommunication-market-100015
NVIDIA (2025). State of AI in Telecommunications: 2025 Trends. Survey Report.
Disponible en: https://resources.nvidia.com/en-us-ai-in-telco/telco-report-
state-o
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
22
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Pearson, Chris (2024). How Generative AI Could Impact Network Planning,
RAN Conguration, and Spectrum Management. 5G Americas. Disponible
en: https://www.5gamericas.org/how-generative-ai-could-impact-network-
planning-ran-conguration-and-spectrum-management/
Powell L. y Hatt T. (2025). Distributed inference: AI adds a new dimension at
the edge. GSMA. Disponible en: https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/article/
distributed-inference-ai-adds-a-new-dimension-at-the-edge/
Sheikh, H., Prins, C., Schrijvers, E. (2023). Articial Intelligence: Denition and
Background. In: Mission AI. Research for Policy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.
org/10.1007/978-3-031-21448-6_2
Shrivastava A., Gaey B., Grundin G. Cubela S. y Lajous T. (2025). AI
infrastructure: A new growth avenue for telco operators. McKinsey & Company.
Disponible en: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-
telecommunications/our-insights/ai-infrastructure-a-new-growth-avenue-for-
telco-operators
Stryker, Cole (2024). What is an AI stack? IBM. Disponible en: https://www.ibm.
com/think/topics/ai-stack
Uitto, Tommi (2024). Advanced automation for advanced networks. Nokia.
Disponible en: https://www.nokia.com/blog/advanced-automation-for-
advanced-networks/
Wall, Mathew (2024). How Mobile Phone Networks are Embracing AI. GSMA.
Disponible en: https://www.gsma.com/get-involved/gsma-foundry/content-
type/news/how-mobile-phone-networks-are-embracing-ai/
Annex
Articial Intelligence: This technology is based on the fundamental principles
of algorithms as problem-solving instructions, yet it encompasses a broad
spectrum of tasks and functions that surpass traditional complex algorithms
and calculation methods. In fact, it could be argued that it is not just a
technology, but rather a set of approaches, techniques, and capabilities for
developing advanced technological solutions.
Machine learning: (along with other machine learning techniques), whose main
objective is to generate predictions based on data analysis, algorithms, and
pattern learning. These techniques are used in forecasting and optimization
models.
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
pp. 7 - 23
23
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Networks for Articial Intelligence and Articial Intelligence for Networks:
Implications for Telecommunications
Mrs. Maryleana Méndez Jiménez , Luis Mauricio Torres Alcocer
Computer vision: is used for the observation and analysis of visual information
and images. Natural language processing is used to understand, interpret,
and process human language. It is widely used in chatbots, text analysis, and
transcriptions, for example.
Speech recognition: is a form of AI used for processing spoken language in
voice-controlled assistants. Robotics combines AI capabilities with physical
functionalities in hardware and robots. There are also applications that
combine the functionalities of these types. For example, generative AI (Gen
AI) is used for content creation, and Edge AI performs articial intelligence
processing locally on devices rather than in the cloud.
pp. 7 - 23
24
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Python tool for behavioral studies of
the IP Pools in the BRAS
Abstract
The deployment of postpaid services at interoperable hotel Wi-Fi
sites nationwide—allowing up to three devices per account—alongside
expanded coverage and higher occupancy, has increased IP address
utilization. Consequently, the Telecommunications Company of
Cuba S. A., ETECSA has experienced an increase in terms of requests
for IP address ranges at these sites, currently allocated via empirical
calculations based on estimated guest numbers and service usage. The
absence of tools providing accurate IP address usage statistics hinders
behavioral studies to determine optimal pool sizing. This may cause
service disruption and dissatisfaction for both customers experience
address exhaustion, while ETECSA faces inecient network resource
allocation. To address this, a Python-based utility was developed to
collect data for behavioral analysis. This tool was developed so as
to solve the this problem. This paper describes the work performed
and the results obtained with this tool, contributing to our Company
enhancing tourism-sector service delivery and optimizing network
resource eciency.
Keywords: Python, Netmiko, Network Automation, WiFi.
Received: 12/2023 | Approved: 02/2024 | Published: 08/2024
1 ETECSA. elio.avila@etecsa.cu
RESEARCH
pp. 24 - 33
25
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
Introduction
The service known as Wi-Fi Interoperability constitutes one
of the possible forms of Internet access provided by ETECSA, as
a service provider for hotels, campsites, restaurants, hospitals,
universities, public transport hubs, and many other places. This
service’s network architecture, which uses an IPoE solution with
Web authentication (Figure 1), customer trac is transported by
layer from the Wi-Fi network Access Points (AP) deployed at each
location, to the ME60 devices, operating as Broadband Remote
Access Servers (BRAS) in the IP/MPLS network. To accomplish this,
service VLANs are appropriately routed through the access switches
and transit equipment of the transport/aggregation networks, which
terminate at the corresponding BAS sub-interfaces on such BRAS.
User control is guaranteed in these latter devices through interaction
with the other system elements, such as: Session Control, Captive
Portal, AAA, and DNS. The BRAS also function as the DHCP servers
towards the customers, dynamically assigning IP addresses to their
Stations (STA) or terminal equipment. For this, it is necessary to
congure a private IP address pool, exclusive to each particular
site. ETECSA, as the service provider, manages and controls these
ranges, and their dimensioning is performed based on information
provided by the personnel where the service is installed, which
includes the estimated number of concurrent customers, calculated
from the number of installed APs and the expected occupancy of
the facilities, elements which can vary from time to time.
Figure 1. Summarized diagram of the Wi-Fi Interoperability service
pp. 24 - 33
26
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
In the designation of the above-mentioned Pool IPs may occur the
following cases:
1. Under-dimensioned pool: It is below actual needs. It may
happen that a number of customer devices request IPs and there are
no available addresses left to assign to them (the range congured
on the server is exhausted). This causes service impairment in those
customers who fail to get IP addresses.
2. Over-dimensioned pool: It exceeds the actual needs. It leads
to an inecient use of network resources (IPs) to the detriment of the
provider, which, in an extreme case, may be left without free ranges
for its operation.
3. Correctly dimensioned pool: It matches the actual needs.
There is no negative impact for either the customers or the provider.
As part of the Company’s prioritized attention to the tourism sector,
we are continuously working on improving the Wi-Fi service in hotels
and solving their demands. As a result, the Wi-Fi Interoperability
modality called Postpaid Wallet, which has been applied with good
results since 2022; started in Havana and has spread throughout the
country. Here are some new features of this service:
1.- Billing based on total trac processed and not on the credit
consumed from active accounts.
2.- Creation of customer accounts from the hotel itself, with access
to GESNAUTA platform.
3.- Possibility to connect up to 3 devices per account.
4.- Need for accounts to remain connected
as long as possible once authenticated. In order to achieve this,
the disconnection for low trac and inactivity was disabled in the
BRAS. In the particular case of hotels on the Gaviota chain, this last
option was set for disconnection at 15 minutes.
In this postpaid modality, customers’ accounts can remain active
until logout, disconnection that the AAA sends at 12 hours of being
authenticated. This, together with the expansion of WiFi service in
hotel facilities, with coverage in practically all areas and increased
levels of occupation, has brought with it greater use of IP addresses,
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
pp. 24 - 33
27
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
and thus the need to expand the Pool in those places where it is
required. In this context, there has been an increase in demands for the
expansion of the IP Pools by the hotels’ technical and administrative
sta, who make an estimate based on the number of guests according
to housing capacities, multiplied by the 3 possible devices to connect
per account, resulting in a high number of requested IP addresses
(mostly /22 and /21 ranges).
On the other hand, the provider’s NCE management system
provides indications of IP address exhaustion in the Pools, by
generating usage alarms above 80% of IP addresses (a congurable
value, it comes with a default value), but it does not provide in a
timeline the specic values it reaches, but only when they exceed the
congured threshold value. Therefore, in the cases under analysis,
the required information was obtained on a case-by-case basis, by
manually probing the BRAS where the specic service was set up.
This is an inconvenience for precise monitoring use of IP addresses,
which makes it dicult to carry out behavioral studies, that allow to
choose the optimal Pool and serve as evidence to show in response
to customer demand. This can lead to service impairments and
dissatisfaction, both for customers and our Company, a fact which
constituted the problem to be solved in our case and which motivated
the development of a scheduled utility on Python, with which it was
possible to collect the information needed to conduct the relevant
studies and analyses related to IP Pools.
Python is a trend in the world of data network automation.
(Damien, 2020), given by its simplicity, versatility, modularity,
database processing, file management and graphical interfaces
for viewing information, as well as by the multiple and powerful
libraries available for connection to equipment from various
manufacturers, as is the case with Netmiko (Byers, 2024), used
in this work. Furthermore, it has a large international community
of developers, which is active, participatory and collaborative.
These elements, as well as having previous experience of its use,
were crucial when choosing the programming language used. This
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
pp. 24 - 33
28
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
paper describes the work done and the results obtained with the
developed computer tool.
Materials and methods
This research was developed under an applied engineering and
research approach for development (R+D). The methodology was
structured in three sequential phases to address the core problem
of the lack of accurate data on the use of IP addresses in the Wi-Fi
Interoperability service. Phase I consisted of the analysis of possible
commands to be used on the BRAS ME60, which would allow
gathering the necessary information. Phase II focused on analyzing
the tools available for network automation that would allow remote
management of the BRAS via the SSH protocol. Phase III consisted of
the development and implementation of a utility for automated data
collection, processing and presentation. These phases are described
below.
Study of possible commands to obtain the required
information
As a rst task, a survey of technical information was carried out,
to know the available commands and to choose the one suitable for
dened purposes. Among them was chosen the command disp ip-pool
pool-usage pool-name (pool name), the output of which simply and
explicitly provides the required information, which is: Pool address
range, IPs in use (including those allocated, conicting and blocked)
and the percentage of use they represent.
Network automation with Netmiko Python library
As a second step, the possible tools for collecting the required
information were studied and the Netmiko library of Python was
chosen for this purpose. This library was developed by Kirk Byers
as an improved version of Paramiko and is designed to facilitate
automated interaction with multi-manufacturers’ network devices,
such as: Cisco, Juniper, Arista, and many others (Byers, 2024).
Netmiko uses several communication technologies, the most
important being the SSH (Secure Shell) protocol, which encrypts
the management information transmitted thus achieving safer
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
pp. 24 - 33
29
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
communication. SSH is available on most telecommunication
devices for their remote access, this being the most used method
when applying automation to the field of telecommunications
networks (Damien, 2020). This library helps network operators to
send commands to equipment such as switches, routers, firewalls,
among others, in a scheduled and repeatable way, and offers a simple
and consistent way to automate network device management tasks
(Figure 2). This minimizes the manual intervention by operators
and reduces the margin of human error. This fact, combined with
Python’s multi-area capabilities, were the reasons for deciding on
this tool when choosing an effective network automation method.
Figure 2. Network automation using Netmiko
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
Structure of the Python-based program
Subsequently, a program on Python was developed, consisting
of two modules (Figure 3); the rst one (left) shows a Graphical User
Interface (GUI), which allows to enter the necessary parameters for
its execution. In its development, it was used primarily in the Tkinter
library. The second one (right) has in turn two parts: one for the periodic
connection to the equipment via SSH (using the Netmiko and Schedule
libraries), where the chosen command, described above, is sent to the
BRAS. This allows to query one or several selected IP Pools and properly
process the information it returns. The other part, after nishing the
pp. 24 - 33
30
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
number of dened readings, stores the data obtained in les with .csv,
.txt and .pdf extensions, in the latter case shows them graphically. The
Pandas and Matplotlib libraries were used for this part.
Program execution steps
The program execution consists of four steps (Figure 4):
1. Choosing the desired BRAS from a drop-down list (Figure 4a).
2. Choosing the IP Pool(s) to be analyzed from a drop-down list (it
automatically obtains them by connecting to the selected BRAS)
(Figure 4b).
3. Entering the start time to take readings and the number of
readings to be performed (Figure 4c).
4. Clicking on the ‘Execute Script’ button (Figure 4c).
Once the above is done, module 2 starts running at the time entered;
it takes the number of desired readings and processes the obtained
information.
a) b) c)
Figure 3. Structure of the Python-based program
Figure 4. Program execution steps
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
pp. 24 - 33
31
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Results and discussion
Once the execution cycle of the program as shown in the previous
section is nished, the information obtained is stored in Excel and
text les, with .csv and .txt extensions (an example of this is shown in
Figures 5 a and b, respectively), as well as graphs with a .pdf extension.
a) b)
The case in Figure 6 is one of those that was monitored based on
the alarms generated in the NCE management system. According to
the information obtained with the Python utility, it was veried that IP
address exhaustion was occurring (in the red circles, moments when
it reaches 100% use) and thereby aecting customers.
Figure 5. Example of Excel and text information files
Figure 6. Under-dimensioned IP Pool Behaivor
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
pp. 24 - 33
32
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Figure 7 shows a case where the IP pool was increased to /21, in
respond to a hotel demand. It can be seen in the obtained graphs that
does not exceed 20% of the use of IP addresses, being an example of
over-dimensioning, with implications for our Company.
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
Figure 7. Over-dimensioned IP Pool Behaivor
Figure 8. Correctly-dimensioned IP Pool Behaivor
Figure 8 shows a correctly sized case. This particular one requested
to expand its IP address range, which was not necessary to do at that
time, based on the statistics obtained and shared with the hotel sta.
It should be mentioned that in all the examples shown, there was
a high level of occupancy in the hotels, which in turn suggests high
percentages of IP address use.
pp. 24 - 33
33
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Conclusions
The conclusions of this research reect the positive impact of
implementation of a computer tool developed in Python to analyze and
manage the IP Pools within ETECSA’s network. First of all, it is shown
that this tool is an eective solution to overcome the lack of accurate
information, allowing for automated collection and processing of
behavior of IP Pools, especially in environments where BRAs act as DHCP
servers. This facilitated early detection of issues, such as exhaustion
of IP addresses in hotels, and allowed timely corrective actions to
be taken, such as expanding the address range, avoiding service
interruptions. In addition, it was found that a correct dimensioning
of the Pools avoids unnecessary costs in the acquisition of new
IP addresses, contributing to a more efficient use of resources.
The statistics generated not only improve service quality Wi-Fi
for users, but also provide valuable evidence for technical and
administrative staff, increasing customer satisfaction. Finally,
although the tool was initially designed for the hotel sector,
its application potential is extended to other network IP Pool
services, demonstrating its flexibility and usefulness in different
ETECSA’s network resource management contexts.
References
Garros, Damien (2020). NetDevOps Survey. https://dgarros.github.io/netdevops-
survey/reports/2020
Byers, K. (2024). Biblioteca Netmiko. https://github.com/ktbyers/netmiko
ME60 V800R023C00SPC500 Conguration Guide. Información técnica del
proveedor Huawei (2023). https://support.huawei.com/enterprise/en/doc/
EDOC1100335692/d0a3124b/conguration-management-conguration
pp. 24 - 33
Python tool for behavioral studies of the IP Pools in the BRAS
Elio Ramón Ávila Rodríguez, MSc.
34
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Dynamic Assessment of Business
KPIs: Optimizing Territorial
Management Through a Dashboard
1* Telecommunications Company of Cuba S.A., ETECSA. Sancti Spíritus
60100. Cuba. reidel.rodriguez@etecsa.cu.
2 Telecommunications Company of Cuba S.A., ETECSA. Sancti Spíritus
60100. Cuba. yaribey.alfonso@etecsa.cu.
Received: /06/2023 | Accepted: /04/2023 | Published: 12/2023
RESEARCH
Abstract
At ETECSA’s Sancti Spíritus Territorial Division Center, dispersed
statistical data on key indicators —distributed across monthly/yearly
databases— hampers comprehensive analysis and decision-making.
To address this limitation, an Excel dashboard was developed to
centralize and unify this information into a single le, which can
be updated monthly. This tool consolidates preliminary, monthly,
and cumulative indicator values, enabling dynamic visualization
via interactive period-segmented charts. The Dashboard generates
accurate, real-time reports, to evaluate performance against annual
business objectives; streamlines management decision-making
by managerial decisions by unifying ETECSA’s KPIs; and supports
the Territorial Director in monitoring results through integrated
data from Network Operations, Sales, Logistics & Services, Human
Resources, and Investments. The solution is implemented using
Microsoft Excel in its advanced version, leveraging dynamic links
pp. 34 - 43
35
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
between databases, VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) macros to
automate update and validation processes, and interactive charts
congured to reect monthly trends and historical comparisons. All
the information processed ranges from divisional to national levels,
ensuring consistency in reporting. This project not only optimized
data management but also deepened the company’s mastery of Excel
as a Business Intelligence tool, proving its potential to transform
operational processes into strategic ones.
Keywords: Dashboard, KPIs, VBA, Business Intelligence
Introduction
In contemporary business management, the real-time monitoring
of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) has become a keystone for
strategic decision-making. Nevertheless, various organizational
units within the Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A.,
ETECSA’s territorial divisions, face specic challenges: the presence
of multiple non-integrated information systems, disparate data
collection formats, and the absence of automated mechanisms
for temporal comparative analysis. This signicantly hinders
performance assessment and the timely detection of deviations. This
paper introduces an interactive Dashboard engineered to streamline
the assessment of business KPIs within the territorial division which
allows executives to monitor the achievement of objectives through
dynamic graphical visualizations, monthly as well as accumulated
and speed up the evaluation process of institutional performance.
The primary objectives of this research were to develop a tool
that centralizes and automates the analysis of KPIs based on their
compliance, in addition to facilitating the graphical display of the
indicator performance in monthly and cumulative periods; as well as,
optimizing the performance evaluation process of the executives and
managers in the Territorial Division.
Recent research has highlighted the value of Dashboards in
Business Management. Authors such as Few (2006) and Eckerson
(2010) laid the foundations for the design of eective control panels,
while more recent studies by Terreros (2023) and Pérez (2025) have
pp. 34 - 43
36
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
shown their impact on improving decision-making agility. However,
few papers address specic solutions for territorial management,
where data heterogeneity and the need for local contextualization
represent unique challenges.
This research is justied by three key factors: the need to unify
criteria in the analysis of KPIs dispersed in multiple sources, the
demand for accessible tools that automate the generation of reports
for executives, as well as the lack of purpose-built solutions to the
territorial scale, where indicators require historical benchmarking
and georeferencing.
This paper has inuence on the eld of operational Business
Intelligence by proposing a scalable solution, developed with widely
accessible technologies (advanced Excel + VBA), which combines
analytical rigor with utility for managerial environments. The results
show how the integration of interactive displays and business logic
can eectively transform raw data into data-driven recommendations,
bridging the gap between information and strategy.
Materials and Methods
The implemented methodology was based on the use of
Microsoft Office Excel, leveraging its advanced data management
and analysis capabilities through the use of VBA — Visual Basic for
Applications — for process automation, Alexander and Kusleika
(2022). This approach allowed to establish dynamic connections
with multiple data sources generated by Network Operations,
Commercial, Logistics and Services, Human Capital and Investments
departments. It also allows standardizing and consolidating the key
indicators aligned with ETECSA’s annual Business Objectives, as
well as developing an automated updating system that guarantees
the information integrity and timeliness. The choice of this tool
is justified by its widespread use in corporate environments, its
scalability to process significant volumes of operational data,
and its ability to generate customized outputs through advanced
programming, which makes it a cost-effective solution for the
strategic management of indicators.
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
pp. 34 - 43
37
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
The design of the dashboard is conceived from the needs
demanded by the Territorial Division executives, who required a
visual way to analyze the performance of their key indicators after
months. To achieve this, a system was developed that displays the
information in easy-to-understand graphs (Figure 1), which allow
to quickly identify trends, compare results and detect possible
problems. Each area of the organization has its own customized
dashboard, connected directly to its databases in Excel. This
enabled to gather all the information that reaches the Territorial
Management Center in a consistent and orderly format, facilitating
joint analysis without losing the specic perspective of each
department.
Figure 1. Business KPIs Management Dashboard Interface – ETECSA
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
pp. 34 - 43
38
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
For a better understanding, the main Dashboard is organized in
functional sections, starting with a module that has all organizational
units reporting information to the Management Center. For each
unit, the total gures of analyzed indicators and the percentage of
compliance calculated using the formula: % Compliance = (Current Value
/ Planned Target × 100, applicable for both monthly and cumulative
analysis, are shown. Indicator values that fail to meet their targets
are highlighted by graphical visualizations detailing the frequency
of monthly non-compliance. This functionality was implemented
through VBA programming that automates data update, generates the
graphs dynamically and ensures consistency of calculations.
In this same section, the functionality of visualizing customized
control dashboard for each department was implemented (See
Indicators), adapted to the specic characteristics of their indicators.
The data can be displayed in both graphical and tabular formatting,
depending on analysis needs. All dashboards are interconnected
through data segmentation based on Excel’s dynamic tables and
advanced functions, which include the use of dynamic ranges to
optimize information processing. This technical solution was designed
to ensure smooth performance, even when handling the high volume
of data generated in the year, ensuring an ecient user experience
on all workstations.
The main Dashboard includes another section dedicated to the key
indicators for the performance evaluation of executives. The values
use Excel conditional formatting, which automatically highlights
in red and with an alert icon those that do not meet the established
objectives. The information is complemented by a pie chart that
visually displays the percentage of compliance or non-compliance
and a detailed table that quanties the exact number of indicators
met and not met. This design allows for immediate identication of
problem areas, combining the clarity of the graphical visualization
with precision of tabulated data.
The Dashboard includes a section that automatically displays all the
indicators that have not met their targets. The most useful thing is for
this information to be updated automatically: by changing the month
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
pp. 34 - 43
39
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
or year option (cumulative) in the time segmentation, the numbers
and list of indicators with problems instantly change. This enables
to easily see if there are indicators that are repeated every month or
if they are one-o situations, helping to better focus improvement
eorts.
In the upper section of the main Dashboard, interactive buttons
are used to display the density values of four key services: Fixed
Basic Telephone (hereinafter, TBF, for its acronym in Spanish), Public
Telephony (hereinafter, TP, for its acronym in Spanish), Nauta Hogar
(hereinafter, NH, for its acronym in Spanish), and mobile service.
For the rst three services, the buttons display, through forms
developed with VBA, detailed tables that break down the data by
telecommunications centers.
In addition, a specic function is added to display in a customized
way all the indicators related to each telecommunications center,
extracting data from the control dashboard. This function allows
specic analyses to be performed faster, generate automated PDF
reports using macros and optimize the working time of executives,
specialists and technicians by facilitating access to accurate and
segmented data.
Results and discussion
The traditional method used to carry out the monthly closing report
of the KPIs in the Territorial Division, relies on the manual update of
multiple Excel databases and their consolidation into a single PDF le
with tables and graphs, which has signicant limitations. Among them
are the lack of historical visibility, since the graphs do not display the
cumulative annual progress broken down by months; the dispersion
of information into dierent sheets, which makes it dicult and
delays data location; and the inability to customize reports for specic
telecommunications centers when executives require particular
analyses. These restrictions impact on the eciency of the process
and the quality of strategic decision-making.
With the implementation of an interactive Dashboard for the
dynamic assessment of corporate KPIs in territorial management, it
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
pp. 34 - 43
40
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
allows obtaining a comprehensive view of the performance of the
dierent organizational units in the Territorial Division (Figures 2
and 3). This tool facilitates immediate monitoring of key indicators,
centralizing information and reducing reporting times compared to
the traditional method. In addition, it allows the early identication
of deviations, which makes it possible to quickly detect negative
trends, allowing to respond to methodological areas with timely
and customized interventions. The availability of updated and
visually intuitive information increases data-based decision-making,
strengthening territorial management and improving key indicators.
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
Figure 2. Customized Dashboard for KPIs Management in the Commercial Area
pp. 34 - 43
41
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
Figure 3. Customized Dashboard for KPIs Management in the Network
Operation Area
The obtained results show that the dynamic assessment of KPIs
through a Dashboard represents an eective tool for territorial
management in the business context, particularly in environments
where speed and accuracy in decision-making are crucial. The ability
to display key indicator performance enables executives to identify
problems, assess the impact of implemented initiatives, and adjust
strategies in an agile way.
Furthermore, data centralization and accessibility foster more
collaborative management, promoting the alignment of objectives
and initiatives across the dierent organizational units. The
reduction in reporting and analysis times contributes to greater
operational eciency, optimizing resources and enhancing user
satisfaction. The dynamic assessment of KPIs through Dashboards
pp. 34 - 43
42
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
not only improves territorial management, but also boosts the data-
driven decision-making culture, a key element for competitiveness
in today’s business environment.
Conclusions
The implementation of this interactive tool allows the executives
from the Territorial Division to conduct an exhaustive analysis of
business indicators. This results in a better understanding of the
organization’s performance throughout the year.
It allows to graphically display the indicator performance on a
monthly and cumulative basis, facilitating the identication of trends,
anomalies and opportunities for improvement, thus contributing to
more informed and timely decision-making.
The tool provides executives with a solid basis on which underpin
continuous improvement strategies by providing up-to-date and
accurate data on indicator compliance. This helps foster a culture of
constant evaluation and process adjustment in the Territorial Division.
Furthermore, the use of this tool allows a better alignment between
the strategic objectives and operational actions of the Territorial
Division, ensuring that all organization levels work in synergy towards
achieving optimal results.
Bibliographic references
Alexander.M & Kusleika.R, (2022). Excel VBA Programming For Dummies,
4th Ed. John Wiley &Sons. https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Excel-Vba-
Programming-Dummies-4e/dp/1119077397
Eckerson, W. (2010). Performance Dashboards: Measuring, Monitoring, and
Managing Your Business. 2 a Ed. Wiley & Sons https://www.amazon.com/
Performance-Dashboards-Measuring-Monitoring-Managing/dp/0470589833
Few, S. (2006). Information Dashboard Design: The Eective Visual
Communication of Data. Editorial Academia. https://www.academia.
edu/1380138/Information_dashboard_design_The_eective_visual_
communication_of_data
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
pp. 34 - 43
43
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Dynamic Assessment of Business KPIs by: Optimizing Territorial Management Through a Dashboard
Eng. Reidel Rodríguez Perdigón & MSc. Yaribey Alfonso Pérez
Pérez, N. (2025). Implementación de Dashboard de gestión empresarial
para mejorar el proceso de la toma de decisiones en la empresa minera,
Andahuaylas (Tesis de pregrado, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola). Perú.
https://repositorio.usil.edu.pe/entities/publication/cf67796d-bb30-4e0f-ae55-
785ac28b8606
Terreros, D. (2023). Qué es el análisis predictivo, tipos, ejemplos y herramientas.
HubSpot, Inc. https://blog.hubspot.es/marketing/que-es-analisis-predictivo
pp. 34 - 43
44
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-
Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar ,
Ramírez3
Received: 06/2023 | Accepted: 04/2024 | Published: 9/2024
RESEARCH
1* Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Electrónica y Mecánica
“CID MECATRONICS”, Cuba, cid3@reduim.cu
2 Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Electrónica y Mecánica
“CID MECATRONICS”, Cuba, cid3@reduim.cu
3 Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Electrónica y Mecánica
“CID MECATRONICS”, Cuba, cid3@reduim.cu
Abstract
Last decades have been marked by an increase in the number of
users employing the various developed communication services.
This has made it necessary to evolve the technologies used to better
satisfy current demands. This paper shows the proposal for the
development of a smart antenna array with beam switching for use
in a communication system. It uses ARRadio-HSMC radio frequency
cards as an implementation platform coupled to the TR4 development
board. The proposed design allows dynamic control of the main
direction of seven digitally synthesized radiation patterns, ensuring
spatial coverage of an angular sector of 100º. Doing this project
opens a line of work applicable in dierent systems, capable of easily
adapting to complex antenna geometries and with the possibility of
incorporating adaptive algorithms to increase the performance of the
digital beamformer for each beam.
Keywords: digital beamformer, smart antennas, switched beam
pp. 44 - 57
45
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
Introduction
Controlling an antenna’s radiation pattern increases the
performance of radio communication systems in which user locations
or spectral operating conditions change over time. Smart antennas
are key elements to solving this problem. These antennas combine an
array of radiation units with digital signal processing blocks to ensure
dynamic beam formation based on real-working needs (Ong, 2015).
Initially, smart antennas were only used for radar, sonar, and
military communications applications. However, advancements
achieved in digital signal processing technology have made it
possible to integrate smart antennas into the world of modern
telecommunications systems (Zhai, 2017). Smart antennas form the
basis of satellite links using Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA)
techniques and are incorporated into IEEE 802.11ac and Long Term
Evolution (LTE) telecommunications standards (Chen & Haas, 2015).
Switched beam systems are one type of smart antenna
implementation. These systems form multiple xed directional
beams. The reception system activates in each direction to
identify signals. Once a useful information source is detected, the
user’s identication and location are stored in order to establish
communication through the predened radiation pattern that
points in their direction. As the source moves, the patterns switch to
maintain the link with the maximum possible antenna gain (Sharma,
Sarkar, Maity, & Bhattacharya, 2014).
Several authors have addressed the development and use of
this technology. Rosa presents the implementation of a Local Area
Network with electronic switching of eight antennas arranged
in a cylindrical geometry (Rosa, Supriyanto, Rahman, Rahim, &
Moradikordalivand, 2014). Almorabeti proposes a design based on
the Butler matrix to form four orthogonal patterns, implements it on
microstrip, and incorporates a switch with PIN diodes (Almorabeti, Ri,
Terchoune, & Tizyi, 2018). Ahmed and Tiang analyze the use of beam
switching in Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems (Ahmed,
Tiang, Mahmud, Gwo-Chin, & Do, 2023; Settawit Poochaya, 2016).
pp. 44 - 57
46
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
This paper presents the implementation of an antenna array with
digital formation of multiple radiation patterns for a switched beam
system. The design is based on ARRadio-HSMC transceiver cards
coupled with the TR4 development board. The main objective is to
present a design architecture applicable to this smart system variant,
which can adapt to complex antenna geometries and incorporate
adaptive algorithms to improve the performance of the digital
beamformer for each beam. While the development does not include
the signal search and identication algorithm, it provides a platform
that ensures the formation and switching of multiple beams during
reception. The work’s main contribution is presenting a design variant
for developing smart antennas in telecommunications systems.
Materials and Methods
To implement the switched beam smart antenna system, we used
a hardware architecture consisting of a TR4 development board with
a Stratix IV EP4SGX230C2 FPGA as the main processing core and
four ARRadio-HSMC daughter cards equipped with Analog Devices
AD9361 transceivers, which provided a total of eight independent
reception channels. The antenna array consisted of eight half-
wave dipoles arranged in a uniform linear conguration, spaced
between elements by 0.6 at the operating frequency of 2.412 GHz.
The experimental methodology consisted of three sequential phases:
hardware conguration, signal processing programming, and
metrological validation.
The experimental methodology was structured in three sequential
phases: hardware conguration, signal processing programming, and
metrological validation. Initially, the operational parameters of the
AD9361 RFICs were congured using an NIOS II softcore embedded
in the eld-programmable gate array (FPGA). This softcore was
managed via a serial peripheral interface (SPI) to control the center
frequency, bandwidth, gain, and sampling rate. The FPGA-based
digital signal processing included in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) data
acquisition and demultiplexing, followed by a frequency-domain
calibration algorithm based on the discrete Fourier transform (DFT)
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
pp. 44 - 57
47
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
to compensate for amplitude and phase deviations. Finally, seven
directional beams were synthesized by applying precalculated
complex weights. Experimental validation was performed in an
anechoic chamber using a 2.4121 GHz reference sinusoidal signal to
characterize system performance. Radiation patterns were measured
via angular sweep with a rotary positioner, and the obtained data
was exported to MATLAB for comparative analysis with theoretical
simulations. Specically, the analysis evaluated the sidelobe level
and radiation angle accuracy.
Digital Beamforming
In a conventional antenna, the electromagnetic eld contribution
in dierent directions in the far-eld region is determined by the
current distribution law on the radiator’s surface. Thus, the antenna’s
directional characteristics depend on its geometry and the feed point
(Stincer, 2001).
An antenna array consists of independently fed radiation units. By
modifying the amplitude and phase of the input signals, an equivalent
current distribution is established, which allows for the desired
directional characteristic to be obtained. This process is known as
radiation pattern formation (Rodríguez, García, & Miller, 2017).
The use of digital beamformers is a crucial leap for the development
of smart systems. In these systems, signals acquired by the elements
are digitized and sent to a signal processor. A complex weight factor is
then applied to each channel to ensure pattern synthesis. Operating
in the digital domain enables the shaping of multiple beams with
dierent, dynamic characteristics without altering the antenna array’s
physical structure, a feature exploited by switched beam systems
(Bailleul, 2016).
Reception and Processing Platform
The rst step in digital beamforming is acquiring and digitizing the
signals at the input of each element. Peter Delos (2017) proposes using a
Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) for this purpose. In the work
(Delos, Frick, & Jones, 2020), a prototype based on the AD9061 four-
channel transceiver is shown. Direct operation with the available RFIC
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
pp. 44 - 57
48
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
requires advanced mounting technology capable of supporting complex
designs. For example, the integrated AD9361 requires a connection of
144 pins in a 102 mm² area (HSMC ARRadio Daughter Card).
One solution is to use evaluation boards that include the RFIC and the
necessary hardware elements for their operation.
This paper uses the ARRadio-HSMC card. This card can be coupled to
an external handling device via the High-Speed Mezzanine Card (HSMC)
interface and contains the AD9361 two-channel transceiver RFIC as its
base element.
The processing stages in digital beamformers are characterized by
their hybrid architecture (Yu, 2017). Digital Signal Processor and Field
Programmable Gate Array (DSP and FPGA, respectively) predominate
in digital beamforming performance. The selection of one or the other
depends on the specic application being developed, although most
literature on the subject favors the use of FPGA (Dikmese, Küçük, Şahin,
& Tangel, 2010).
The AD9361 RFIC has two 12-bit data buses, through which interleaved
transmission and reception (in baseband) signals from two transceivers
circulate. It also has a control bus for communication management
and a Serial Peripherical Interface (SPI) for conguring the system’s
operational parameters, such as frequency, bandwidth, sampling rate,
etc. The ARRadio guarantees access to all these signals through the HSMC
connector. The device used for digital data processing must be able to
connect to this interface.
The need to use multiple acquisition cards and the associated
control issues led to the selection of the TR4 Development Board. This
board has six HSMC connectors for transceiver cards and features the
EP4SGX230C2 FPGA from the Stratix IV family as its processing core.
System Architecture
Based on the selected reception and processing platform, the
connection scheme shown in Figure 1 is proposed for the switched
beam antenna system. This scheme includes four ARRadio-HSMC cards
that are connected to the TR4 development board. These cards allow for
the processing of signals from eight antennas to form multiple radiation
patterns digitally.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
pp. 44 - 57
49
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
The image on the left shows the communication path between the
integrated transceivers and the TR4 development board. The AD9361s
are linked with the FPGA through the HSMC lines, where the bulk of
processing takes place. The image on the right shows the points for
connecting a local oscillator to ensure the radio frequency coherence
of signals from each channel, as well as the clock distribution mode to
guarantee baseband synchronization.
The FPGA fullls three essential functions for the system. First,
it congures the transceiver cards. Second, it ensures the correct
reception and calibration of signals from the AD9361. Third, it performs
digital synthesis of the seven digitally formed radiation patterns. Figure
2 shows the functional diagram displaying its key elements.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
Figure 1. Diagram of the smart antenna array. a) Connection between
the transceivers and the processing system. b) Connection of signals for
multichannel coherence.
pp. 44 - 57
50
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
The Softcore, developed by Altera NIOS II and embedded in the
FPGA, is used to initialize the operational parameters of the AD9361.
Through the SPI communication interface, the Softcore sends a
conguration sequence that includes:
• Enablement of two receiver channels.
• Radio frequency receiver bandwidth conguration.
• Operating center frequency conguration.
• Signal sampling rate conguration.
• Internal digital lter programming.
• Manual gain conguration.
• Internal calibration of reception oset and I/Q channel balance.
The communication control logic is developed based on the
communication protocol established by the AD9361 manufacturer.
Based on the data sampling clock dened during initialization, the
logic recovers the data from each channel, which are interleaved with
the sequence I1, Q1, I2, Q2, where I and Q represent the in-phase and
quadrature components of the signals, and the numbering indicates
the transceiver channel.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
Figure 2. Functional diagram of the FPGA design.
pp. 44 - 57
51
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
The rst processing block that the acquired signals pass through
is the calibration block. This begins operating during system
initialization, where it uses a reference signal generated by one of the
transmitters and distributed to all receiving channels to determine
the amplitude and phase dierences between channels. To do this, it
uses an algorithm based on the Fourier transform. Once the dierences
have been determined, the correction coecients are calculated and
applied continuously throughout system operation.
The calibrated signals are sent to the block where directional
patterns are digitally formed. The block consists of seven similar
subsystems, each of which is responsible for synthesizing a beam.
The desired radiation directions are applied to each subsystem as
appropriate. Weights for forming each beam are calculated using a
conventional algorithm based solely on the input radiation direction
(S. Venkata Rama Rao, 2019).
As a switching circuit, the simple scheme shown in gure 3
is proposed. In this conguration, a xed directional pattern is
established in the synthesized channels for sequential reading of
each output. This conguration is useful when the data processing
units following the antenna array cannot handle large amounts of
information. The developed platform enables the implementation
of complex processing architectures, such as adaptive systems or
others, in which each beam operates independently and switches
sequentially.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
Figure 3. Beam switching system.
Discussion and Outcomes
The technology proposed in this paper for developing smart
antennas with beam switching was validated to conrm its real
pp. 44 - 57
52
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
capabilities for implementation. To do so, a verication system
consisting of eight reception lines, each with an antenna separated by
0.6 times the operating wavelength, was used. Tests were performed
at the frequency of 2.412 GHz, which corresponds to the rst Wi-Fi
access channel.
Calibration is a key to forming the correct directional pattern, so
it was the rst element checked. Figure 4 shows the in-phase and
quadrature components of the signals received by the receivers before
and after this process was performed.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
Uncalibrated I-channel
Calibrated I-channel
Uncalibrated Q-channel
Sample numbers
Sample numbers
Sample numbers
AmplitudeAmplitudeAmplitude
pp. 44 - 57
53
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
The alignment of the signal phase and the compensation of
the amplitude dierences between the channels can be seen. As a
reference, a sinusoidal signal shifted 0.1 MHz from the center of the
operating frequency was used.
To assess the calibration behavior between channels over time,
40 captures of the output signals were made, distributed in groups of
10 captures, separated from each other by one hour. This provided
information during the rst three hours of system operation after
calibration (the rst group of data corresponds to the moment when
the weights were applied). The data were processed using the MALTAB
computer tool, and the results are presented in Table 1.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
Calibrated I-channel
Sample numbers
Amplitude
Figure 4. Signals received before and after calibration.
Table 1. Behavior of amplitude and phase errors between channels after
calibration.
The values in the table indicate an increased tendency for
deviations after calibration. This is due to temperature variations in
the transceiver system elements. Nevertheless, amplitude and phase
errors remain small, even in the worst case. Therefore, radiation
pattern formation can be guaranteed without introducing signicant
errors in the synthesized patterns (Mailloux, 2018).
pp. 44 - 57
54
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Subsequently, the formation of the directional characteristic
was veried using the measurement scheme shown in Figure 5. This
check was performed in an anechoic chamber to emulate free-space
conditions. The resulting signals from each beam were sent to a PC
via a serial communication interface. A program developed for system
verication is responsible for graphing the shape of the digitally
synthesized directional pattern.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
Figure 5. Diagram for measuring the directional characteristic.
As a result, the radiation patterns shown in figure 6 were obtained.
Figure 6. Radiation diagrams generated digitally Top: 0º, Bottom 19º
Radiation pattern with scan angle: 0º Radiation pattern with scan angle: 19º
Amplitude
Amplitude
Figure 6 shows the measured and simulated diagrams for two
channels of the switched beam antenna system. The two are
correspondingly similar, with an absolute error of less than 1.5 dB in
the level of the side lobes and 0.39° in the radiation angle. The key
dierences between the two are evident in the depth of the radiation
nulls and are a direct consequence of the amplitude and phase errors
pp. 44 - 57
55
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
present in the system. With the geometry used, employing seven
directional patterns, it is possible to cover a scanning system of 100º
for the switched beam antenna system, as shown in Figure 7.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
Received power (dBW)
Scan angles ( °)
Figure 7. Directional characteristic of the system with multiple beams
Conclusions
The implemented system guarantees the formation of multiple,
simultaneous, directional reception beams, making it suitable for use
in a switched beam system. This paper presents the main technological
elements that made its development possible. In addition to being
applicable to smart antennas with beam switching, the proposed
design architecture can adapt to complex antenna geometries.
This is because forming the diagram with digital techniques only
requires modifying the equation for determining the weights in the
beamforming block. This same feature also enables the development
of adaptive algorithms. These ndings conrm the fulllment of the
objective proposed for the completion of the work.
The correct formation of the radiation pattern was veried in the
performed measurements. The amplitude and phase errors measured
in each reception channel were less than 0.3971% and 0.7538°,
respectively. Consequently, the dierences between the beams
measured in the anechoic chamber and the simulated beams did not
exceed 1.5 dB for the lower sidelobe level or 0.39° for the radiation angle.
Bibliographic references pp. 44 - 57
56
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Ahmed, T. H., Tiang, J. J., Mahmud, A., Gwo-Chin, C., & Do, D.-T. (2023).
Evaluating the Performance of Proposed Switched Beam Antenna Systems in
Dynamic V2V Communication Networks. SENSORS, 23(15), 1-20. doi:10.3390/
s23156782
Almorabeti, S., Ri, M., Terchoune, H., & Tizyi, H. (2018). Design and
Implementation of a Switched Beam Smart Antenna For Wireless Power
Transfer System at 5.8 GHz. Paper presented at the 2018 Renewable Energies,
Power Systems & Green Inclusive Economy (REPS-GIE), Casablanca, Morocco.
Bailleul, P. K. (2016). A New Era in Elemental Digital Beamforming for
Spaceborne Communications Phased Arrays. 104, 623-632. doi:10.1109/
JPROC.2015.2511661
Chen, Z., & Haas, H. (2015). Space division multiple access in visible light
communications. Paper presented at the 2015 IEEE International Conference
on Communications (ICC), London, UK.
Delos, P. (2017). Digital beamforming techniques for phased array system
[Webcast]. Retrieved from https://www.analog.com/en/education/education-
library/webcasts/digital-beamforming-techniques-for-phased-array-system.
html
Delos, P., Frick, C., & Jones, M. (2020). Multichannel RF-to-Bits development
Platform Enables Rapid Prototyping for Phased Arrays. Retrieved from https://
analog.com/en/design-notes/multichannel-to-bits-development-platform.
html
Dikmese, S., Kucuk, K., Sahin, S., & Tangel, A. (2010). Digital signal processor
against eld programmable gate array implementations of space-code
correlator beamformer for smart antennas. IET Microwaves, Antennas &
Propagation, 4(5), 593–599.
HSMC ARRadio Daughter Car. Retrieved from https://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-
bin/page/archive.pl?Lenguage=English&CategoryNo=65&No=946&PartNo=1
Mailloux, R. J.(2018). Phased Array Antenna Handbook (3rd ed.): Artech House.
Ong, L. T. (2015). Adaptive Beamforming Algorithms for Cancellation of Multiple
Interference Signals. Progress In Electromagnetics Research, 43(M), 109-118.
doi:10.2528/PIERM15061202
Rodríguez, D. C., García, E., & Miller, R. B. (2017). Diseño e Implementación de
un Beamformer Transmisor en una FPGA. 6. Retrieved from https://silo.tips/
download/una-antena-tipica
Rosa, S. L., Supriyanto, E., Rahman, T. A., Rahim, S. K. A., & Moradikordalivand,
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
pp. 44 - 57
57
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
A. (2014). Switched Beam Smart Antenna for Wireless Local Area Network.
Paper presented at the International Conference on Electrical Engineering,
Computer Science and Informatics (EECSI 2014), Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
S. Venkata Rama Rao, A. M. P., Ch. Santhi Rami. (2019). Antenna Array Weight
Synthesis for Low Side Lobe Levels using Window Functions. International
Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology, 9(1), 8. doi:10.35940/ijeat.
A1664.109119
Settawit Poochaya, P. U. (2016). Beam Tracking in Switched-Beam
Antenna System for V2V Communication. International Journal of
Antennas and Propagation, 2016(Special), 1-13. doi: http://dx.doi.
org/10.1155/2016/4169619
Sharma, B., Sarkar, I., Maity, T., & Bhattacharya, P. P. (2014). An introduction
to smart antenna system. International Journal of Business and Engineering
Research, 8(11).
Stincer, E. P. (2001). Antenas. Teoría general. La Habana: ITM.
Yu, X. (2017). Digital signal processor based real-time phased array radar
backend system and optimization algorithms. (Doctor of Philosophy).
University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma. Retrieved from https://shareok.
org/handle/11244/52417
Zhai, M. (2017). Smart Antenna Technology in Mobile Communication and
Its Research Progress. Paper presented at the International Conference on
Computer Technology, Electronics and Communication (ICCTEC), Sanya, China.
Implementation of a Smart Beam-Switching Antenna System
Eng. Alexander Rogelio Ramírez Zaldívar, Eng. Yunior Ibarra Guerra and PhD in T. Noslen Rojas Ramírez
pp. 44 - 57
58
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating
Platforms Based on Arduino and
XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, Eng,
Received: 06/2023 | Accepted: 04/2024 | Published: 9/2024
RESEARCH
Abstract
This paper presents a system-based structure embedded for
wireless control of heavy dual-degree-of-freedom rotating platforms.
The design of a controller is proposed to allow remote access of
operators through an XBee-based communication system, facilitating
real-time automatic parameter adjustments. The wireless connection
between the controller and the platform is established using an
Arduino Leonardo board, eliminating dependence on Wi-Fi or TCP/IP
protocols to enhance system robustness in industrial environments.
The obtained results in a lab environment prove reliable platform
control at distances up to 50 meters. Additionally, the link range can be
increased by adding directional antennas compatible with the system
hardware, optimizing remote control performance and reliability.
Keywords: Remote control; Arduino; XBee; Rotating platforms
1* Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Electrónica y Mecánica “CID ME-
CATRONICS”, dir: Calle 15 y 86A, Playa, La Habana, Cuba. Correo electrónico:
cid3@reduim.c
2 Empresa de Informática, Automática y Comunicaciones TECNOMÁTICA, dir:
Árbol Seco 56 e/ Estrella y Maloja, Centro Habana, La Habana, Cuba. Correo
electrónico: michelbt@tm.cupet.cu
pp. 58 - 71
59
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Introduction
Rotating platforms are used in a variety of applications such as
communications, material handling, and cargo transport. These
systems are currently limited by operational diculties related
to wired support, given the high installation costs, fragility of the
environment, and inability to adapt to environmental changes. With
the emergence of new technologies and the development of wireless
devices, it is relatively easy to deploy them in environments where
physical lines are a potential barrier. A viable solution to ensure
remote control is the transmission of the control signal via radio
frequency (RF) (Bernabé et al., 2024), being an aordable variant,
those based on XBee from Digi International.
Novel researches apply the abovementioned modules in this
eld; some of them use it to check parameters in storage facilities
through wireless RF chips and Zigbee protocol stacks (Wang, 2011).
Ambikabhuvaneswari (2018) tracks e-bikes and retrieves information
using LoRa and the XBee module. Another research (Adewasti et al.,
2018) deals with the development of a human-machine interface in
LabVIEW so as to control a robot and observe the results of various
environmental factors, such as temperature measurement, the
presence of toxic gases, human presence detection, and can also
transmit real-time video of that particular location wirelessly. The
design development of a robot control system to monitor earthquake
locations using Arduino based on XBee Pro is evidenced in (Shahzad
et al., 2017).
XBee Latency analysis with good results in the control of drone-
mounted machines through remote channels is developed in XBee
latency analysis for drone-mounted machine control over wireless
communication channels (Sit et al., 2021). Another study that
evidences the reliability of XBee is (Gavra et al., 2023), where an
analysis of the characteristics of the mesh network topology is
proposed to verify the range extension and how it aects the signal
strength indicator and performance. The implementation of an
unmanned vehicle system based on this technology is addressed in
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
pp. 58 - 71
60
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
(Karyemsetty et al., 2015) and proves that it is possible to monitor
the vehicle’s travel route on Google Maps using the latitude and
longitude transmitted by the GPS receiver. In maritime positioning
systems (San Filippo, 2015), node positioning algorithms are applied
to track and identify operational movements onboard the vessel.
The engine control and observation of its parameters is found in
(Floriduz et al., 2015) with the description of a wireless temperature
measurement system, intended for thermal analysis of rotating parts
of electrical machines. The device was designed and manufactured
to be installed on machines with a consumption less than 15 kW.
The abovementioned researches corroborate that XBee in
combination with a programmable logic device can guarantee good
quality in the wireless link. Furthermore, the reviewed studies show
the advantage of implementing remote control solutions in areas or
systems where the deployment of physical lines is complicated. This
paper proposes a solution that uses an Arduino Leonardo board and
an XBee S1 module as technical support (Hongyim, 2017). It consists
of developing a wireless controller to increase the platform control
range. The advantage lies in obtaining a system with the possibility
of improving its performance regarding the parameters being tested
and the accessibility without the need for wired support. The use
of the TCP/IP protocol oers scalability, stability, security, and
interconnection between dierent networks and devices (Hongyim,
2019). Due to its operating principle, the proposed wireless control is
an option for IoT applications.
Materials and Methods
To achieve the established objectives, a market analysis was carried
out focused on identifying the most accessible technologies from an
economic and documentary perspective. A systemic analytical method
was applied to extract key elements from the reviewed literature in
order to develop a proposal that ts the system’s needs. Given the
existing technological restrictions in the country, particularly in the
manufacture of printed circuits and the importation of electronic
components, it was decided to choose for the use of open-source
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
pp. 58 - 71
61
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
hardware and software as much as possible. This choice not only
reduces associated costs but also promotes the sustainability and
adaptability of the proposed system.
General System Structure
This paper proposes the implementation of a system with the
structure shown in Figure 1. Its denition starts from the need to
achieve remote communication between the control center and the
platform. As can be seen, the actuator mechanism is equipped with
an external control element composed of an Arduino Leonardo board
and an XBee module, to guarantee the wireless connection. The control
board is connected via a radio frequency link in the 2.4 GHz band to
the management and control server which can be a desktop PC or
mobile handset.
Figure 1. Block diagram of the proposed control system
The programmable controller is developed under the premise of
using open hardware, which implies that the designs and specications
are publicly accessible. This characteristic allows the creation of the
system at a reduced cost and promotes collaboration and innovation
in the design of automated systems. To guarantee its functionality, the
controller must include input interfaces that allow the connection of
external devices, as well as the ability to integrate wireless modules.
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
pp. 58 - 71
62
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
The coupling elements are fundamental to adapt the controller to
various industrial applications and facilitate its interaction with other
systems.
Regarding the actuator mechanism of the rotating platform, it
consists of a frequency drive (VFD). This device is crucial to carry
out the conversion between the control signal (0 V - 10 V) and the
voltage/current levels required by the alternating current motor
(ACM), which is equipped with an encoder. The use of the VFD allows
a precise control over the speed and motor torque, thus optimizing
system performance (Matondang & Adityawarman, 2018).
Selected Hardware
During the component selection process for the design, the
requirements established in the general system structure were
considered. The use of Arduino as the main device is determined by
competitive acquisition costs, ease of programming, and versatility
in input interfaces, compared to other alternatives such as FPGA, PIC,
or other microcontrollers. This choice is based on the need for an
accessible and adaptable development environment that satises the
specic project requirements.
Arduino Leonardo Development Board
The Arduino Leonardo, shown in Figure 2, is a development
board distinguished by integrating an ATmega32U4 microcontroller,
which has original USB capabilities. This characteristic allows the
Leonardo to communicate directly with a computer, facilitating to
emulate devices such as keyboards or peripherals through the USB-
HID protocol (Penttinen, 2013). The board has 20 digital input/output
pins, of which 7 are used as PWM outputs and 12 as analog inputs.
Its crystal oscillator operates at a frequency of 16 MHz, ensuring
adequate performance for various applications. Furthermore, it has
32 KB of ash memory for program storage, as well as a micro USB
connector that simplies connection and power supply.
pp. 58 - 71
63
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
XBee S1 Module
The XBee S1 module, shown in Figure 3, is a wireless communication
device designed for applications requiring connectivity in personal
area networks. It operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band and
uses the 802.15.4 protocol (Weatley, 2018), allowing low energy
consumption and low latency connections. It provides a transmission
power of 1 mW (0 dBm), achieving a range of up to 100 meters under
direct visibility conditions, making it suitable to be implemented in
industrial and urban environments. It is characterized by its ability
to operate in an industrial temperature range, from -40°C to 85°C,
guaranteeing its functionality in various environmental conditions.
The module interface allows a data rate of up to 115.2 Kbps, facilitating
ecient information transmission between devices. Furthermore, its
compact design and variety of antenna options, including embedded
antennas and connectors for external antennas, provide exibility in
system implementation.
Figure 3. Wireless Module Used
Figure 2. Arduino Leonardo Development Board
pp. 58 - 71
64
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
Wireless Controller Programming
The link programming was performed using the Arduino integrated
development environment (IDE) in its version 1.8.2, which provides an
accessible and versatile environment to develop applications based
on microcontrollers. The network connection establishment is carried
out via the XBee and XBee Arduino Library, which are fundamental to
simplify the remote automation implementation, remote control, and
the collection of relevant data about the surrounding environment.
The XBee library provides support for API mode, which enables
the transmission of structured data and the handling of AT commands
(Wang & Tang, 2011), in addition to allowing dynamic conguration
of module parameters. This is particularly useful in applications
where precise control over connected devices and eective network
management is required. Moreover, it simplies the programming
of the wireless link, but also allows users to implement advanced
features such as power management in battery-powered devices,
which is crucial to lengthen the system lifecycle. The wireless link
programming algorithm is shows in Figure 4.
Figure 4. Wireless Link Programming Algorithm
Management and Control Application
In the development of the management and control application
was taken into account the possibility of wireless connection via
pp. 58 - 71
65
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
WiFi or wired over Ethernet, as well as cross-platform with the aim of
installing it both from a desktop computer with Windows OS® or Linux
operating system, and on mobile devices with Android operating
system. That is why, the QtCreator5.7 framework (Qt Creator, n.d.) was
selected. This research is limited to describing only the application
development process in Windows ® and Android, diering only
by the inclusion of the corresponding compilation tools. In (Touil
et al., 2020), the relevant congurations in the framework options
to perform the compilation for the Android operating system are
explained.
Considering the hardware architecture, the client-server model
was used for application programming, where the Arduino Leonardo
board operates as the client and the management and control software
is the server. The protocol used in the transport layer of the architecture
was TCP, as being connection-oriented, it provides a reliable means
for bitstream between applications (Penttinen, 2013). Considering
that large volumes of data will not be transmitted, the package
delivery will not imply a signicant delay. For server development,
the QTcpServer and QTcpSocket libraries were used. The proposed
programming algorithm is shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Programming Algorithm implemented in QtCreator
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
pp. 58 - 71
66
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
Control Technique Implementation
The implemented control technique is a PID controller -
Proportional, Integral and Derivative - which is based on the regulation
of proportional, integral and derivative parameters to manage system
dynamics. This approach allows an eective response to variations in
the reference signal, ensuring precise control over the process. The
digital system design is carried out using the multidomain simulation
platform Simulink, proprietary to MATLAB. This tool oers a set of
libraries that allow the model to be exported to C language, enabling
its implementation in embedded environments. The resulting scheme
for validation is shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6. Simulink Scheme of the PID Controller
Figure 7. PID Controller Programming Algorithm
The system introduces the PID controller parameters to calculate
the proportional, integral and derivative components of the error.
This allows generating the control signal applied to the analog input
of the frequency drive. The programming algorithm in Arduino
corresponding to the PID controller is shown in Figure 7.
pp. 58 - 71
67
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
Results and Discussion
For the development of the experimental tests, the scheme shown
in Figure 8 was designed. The sending of the data frame coming from
the management and control server is performed at a frequency of
2.4 GHz. For the digital to analog conversion of the error signal, an AD
5626 converter with communication via Serial Peripheral Interface
(SPI) and 12-bit resolution was used.
Figure 8. Wireless Controller Verification Scheme
The equipment used, in addition to the implemented controller,
are listed below:
• Frequency drive and reference FR-A722 from Mitsubishi brand.
• Three-phase induction engine with 3 horsepower and nominal
speed of 1500 rpm from ECCHOP brand.
• Incremental encoder with 12-bit resolution from DENMARK
brand.
• HUMUSOFT MF614 acquisition card (Touil et al., 2020) to, via
Real Time Target toolbox from MATLAB, check in Simulink the
system output signal.
•
PC with AMD E-300 DualCore CPU 1.30 GHz processor, WINDOWS
10 PRO 64-bit operating system, 6 GB of RAM.
In the wireless connection, key parameters in link characterization
are: the received power, the antenna gain, and the environmental
noise level (Hongyim, 2019). Therefore, the system performance was
assessed at dierent distances, using the antenna integrated into the
wireless module. Table 1 shows the dependence of the received power
against the distance to the server access point.
pp. 58 - 71
68
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
It can be noted that for distances greater than 50 meters the received
power is signicantly reduced, making the connection unstable. This
measurement allows determining the maximum distance at which the
control point can be located using the embedded access point. To
improve the obtained results, a higher version of the wireless module
can be used or add antennas with greater use of transmitted power.
A comparison was made of the results achieved on the
platform with incorporated PID with the values established
by the manufacturer in the original system manual. Measuring
instruments used are the equipment’s own parameter indicators.
The obtained results are shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Obtained Results
With the calculated value, an average of 1050 W of power necessary
for the induction asynchronous motor was obtained, which describes
the support capacity of the set combined by the alternating current
motor and the frequency drive used, since they exceed that gure.
The performance of the heavy platform was assessed, obtaining an
improvement in compliance with the parameters established by the
original system manufacturer, which corroborates that replacing the
Table 1. Dependence of the received
power on the distance
pp. 58 - 71
69
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
wired connection does not aect the platform control and increases
the system capacity.
Conclusions
The results obtained show the fulllment of the research objective
by achieving the implementation of a wireless control system to
ensure the control of a heavy rotating platform based on Xbee.
Through the use of open hardware and software, high technological
independence is achieved, lowering manufacturing costs. The
adopted conguration allows above all exibility and scalability,
making its deployment possible in areas where a wired connection is
impossible, as well as the addition of new nodes without signicantly
impacting the original design.
Even though the tests are satisfactory, if control distances greater
than 50 meters are required, it is necessary to use another XBee
module such as the PRO version or add a directional antenna to the
RF connector embedded on the board.
Bibliographic references
Adewasti, R., Febriani, R., Sholihin, E., Susanti, E., & Hesti, E. (2018). XBee Pro
module application in organizing and monitoring earthquake disaster location
with the robot control system. International Conference on Information and
Communications Technology (ICOIACT) (pp. 651-655). IEEE. https://doi.
org/10.1109/ICOIACT.2018.8350811
Ambikabhuvaneswari, C., & Muthumari, M. (2018). Design and realization
of radio communication using LoRa & XBee module for an e-Bike. IEEE
International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Computing
Research (ICCIC) (pp. 1-4). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCIC.2018.8782420
Bernabé, P., Gotlieb, A., Legeard, B., Marijan, D., Sem-Jacobsen, F. O., & Spie-
ker, H. (2024). Detecting intentional AIS shutdown in open sea maritime
surveillance using self-supervised deep learning. IEEE Transactions on
Intelligent Transportation Systems, 25(2), 1166–1177. https://doi.org/10.1109/
TITS.2023.3322690
Floriduz, A., Bassi, E., Benzi, F., Secondo, G., & Termini, P. S. (2015). Wireless
temperature sensing in electrical motors with XBee modules. IEEE Workshop
on Electrical Machines Design, Control and Diagnosis (WEMDCD) (pp. 304-
308). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/WEMDCD.2015.7194544
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
pp. 58 - 71
70
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Gavra, V.-D., Pop, O. A., & Dobra, I.-M. (2023). Performance analysis of
XBee modules in a mesh network. 46th International Spring Seminar on
Electronics Technology (ISSE) (pp. 1-4). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/
ISSE57496.2023.10168505
Hongyim, N. (2019). Designing and implementation wildlife tracking system
using APRS protocol. 5th International Conference on Engineering, Applied
Sciences and Technology (ICEAST) (pp. 1-4). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/
ICEAST.2019.8802541
Hongyim, N., & Mithata, S. (2017). Designing and implementation exploration
vehicle remote controller using APRS protocol. 21st International Computer
Science and Engineering Conference (ICSEC) (pp. 1-5). IEEE. https://doi.
org/10.1109/ICSEC.2017.8443845
Karyemsetty, N., Samatha, B., & Rao, K. H. (2015). Diseño e implementación
de un sistema de seguimiento de vehículos en VANETs utilizando XBee Pro:
Modelo prototipo. Conferencia Internacional sobre Redes de Comunicación
(ICCN) (pp. 97-100). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCN.2015.20
Matondang, J., & Adityawarman, Y. (2018). Implementation of APRS network
using LoRa modulation based KISS TNC. International Conference on Radar,
Antenna, Microwave, Electronics, and Telecommunications (ICRAMET) (pp. 37-
40). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICRAMET.2018.8683928
Penttinen, J. T. J. (2013). Modulation and demodulation. En J. T. J. Penttinen
(Ed.), The telecommunications handbook: Engineering guidelines for
xed, mobile and satellite systems (pp. 261-280). Wiley. https://doi.
org/10.1002/9781118678916.ch10
Qt Creator (Versión 5.7) [Software]. (s. f.). The Qt Company. https://www.qt.io/
download-qt-installer
Sanlippo, F., & Pettersen, K. Y. (2015). XBee positioning system with embedded
haptic feedback for dangerous oshore operations: A preliminary study.
OCEANS 2015-Genova (pp. 1-6). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANS-Geno-
va.2015.7271241
Shahzad, M. U., Khan, A. Q., Bukhari, S. M. R., Aslam, A., & Zaib, M. O.
(2017). Wireless control robot using XBee module with multiple sensor
acknowledgment on HMI. International Symposium on Recent Advances
in Electrical Engineering (RAEE) (pp. 1-4). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/
RAEE.2017.8246034
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
pp. 58 - 71
71
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Si, D., Edwards, R. M., & Geng, Y. (2021). XBee latency analysis for drone
mounted machine control over wireless communication channels. 15th
European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.
https://doi. org/10.23919/EuCAP51087.2021.9411478
Touil, H., Akkad, N. E., & Satori, K. (2020). Text encryption: Hybrid
cryptographic method using Vigenere and Hill ciphers. International
Conference on Intelligent Systems and Computer Vision (ISCV) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
https://doi. org/10.1109/ISCV49265.2020.9204095
Wang, J., & Tang, J. (2011). Design and implementation of WSN monitoring
system for grain depot based on XBee/XBee Pro. International Conference on
Electric Information and Control Engineering (pp. 4872-4874). IEEE. https://
doi. org/10.1109/ICEICE.2011.5777512
Weatley, M. (2018). PSKCore.DLL software specication and technical guide
(See. 1.41) [Software Manual].
Wireless Control of Heavy Rotating Platforms Based on Arduino and XBee Modules
Eng. Jorge H. Vázquez Leiva, MSc. Yordany Vélez Rodríguez
pp. 58 - 71
72
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
CHRONOLOGY
1 Director of Support and Development of Digital Products, ETECSA. julio.
trapaga@etecsa.cu
Received: 06/2023 | Accepted: 04/2024 | Published: 9/2024
Abstract
Transfermóvil is a project developed by ETECSA in 2015. Since
then, it has become the primary digital payment platform in Cuba,
with over 5.6 million users at the end of July 2025. During Covid-19,
its usage grew signicantly as it facilitated service payments and
product purchases at a time when queues and crowds were being
avoided due to health risks. For this reason, in addition to oering ease
with e-payments, it contributed to preserving the lives of millions of
people in Cuba.
Throughout these 10 years, it has always been available to users
with stable and secure access 24/7. Its simple operation allows people
who are not experienced with new technologies, including the elderly,
to quickly become familiar with the application.
For companies and businesses, it facilitates e-payments for utilities,
such as electricity and telephone services. It will also allow integration
with any platform oering products or services that require a payment
method.
Its recent innovations include the MiTransfer Wallet (2022)
and the Online Payment Service (2019), as well as payments for
telecommunications and utility services in general. This paper will
review the past 10 years, which have been full of challenges, changes,
and updates for the project, requiring innite perseverance, creativity,
and teamwork.
pp. 72 - 91
73
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Keywords: Transfermóvil, online payment, MiTransfer wallet,
mobile, e-payment
Introduction
At the end of the 20th century, cellular telephony emerged
and experienced an exponential technological advance that
transformed the global paradigms of communication, trade and
other key aspects of society. In the contemporary world, mobile
devices—including tablets and portable computers—have become
an indispensable tool deeply integrated into both personal and
professional spheres. Meanwhile, the Internet evolved from a
rudimentary information network into a critical infrastructure that
underpin modern socioeconomic interactions. This technological
convergence paved the way for the emergence of digital payment
systems in the early years of the 21st century, transitioning them from
conceptual frameworks to widespread adoption. By the rst decade
of the new millennium, electronic transactions had replaced cash-
based exchanges in many economic sectors, marking a signicant
shift towards nancial digitization. Pioneering platforms such as
PayPal, eBay, and Mercado Libre established key architectures for
secure cashless transactions, thereby catalyzing the proliferation of
e-commerce and innovations related to it. Now, these developments
is combined with the use of crypto assets, which have revolutionized
the nancial world. This has also changed the way we understand
money and the separation of these nancial operations from the
banking system.
Advancements in information and communication technologies
(ICT) have given rise to new payment systems for nancial transactions
between businesses and their customers. Specically, these systems
emerged as solutions to problems associated with handling physical
currency (Tamayo, 1999):
• The need to reduce the cost of money and existing payment
methods.
• Provide exibility for small purchases and instant payments.
• Increase security and protection against fraud.
• The very rise of e-commerce and online payments on the Internet.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
74
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
As an integral part of the digital transformation of the Cuban
society, the progressive expansion of Internet access let to the growth
of e-commerce across the country, both at the state and private
sectors, through digital platforms and social media. In its early
stages, this edgling digital ecosystem lacked the infrastructure to
process online payments, limiting transactions to the physical cash
exchanges. This scenario experienced signicant progress in 2015
with the launch of Transfermóvil, the rst fully Cuban-developed
digital payment platform, which marked a turning point in the
nation’s nancial modernization.
In the rst half of 2020, the gure of 950,000 active users was
exceeded, and of these, 45% had joined in that same year, showing the
importance that this platform was acquiring in Cuba. In this period, an
average of 70 million operations were carried out, which represented
a growth of more than 50% compared to the same period in 2019,
and close to twenty services were implemented. All these indicators
grew geometrically in the following years: services tripled to more
than seventy; operations multiplied by ten, exceeding 700 million in
the rst half of 2025; and the number of users reached 5.6 million.
Every day of this rst decade represented a challenge of
development, innovation, and persistent will to move forward in order
to oer Cuban society a nancial digital transformation.
Making a quick review of Transfermóvil’s project evolution timeline,
it is worth mentioning some moments of particular relevance:
• May 2007 – The rst proposal for electronic payments emerged,
using the Propia card as a debit card to pay the telephone bill,
but it could not be achieved.
• July 21st, 2014 – The conception and implementation of
Transfermóvil began, linking it to the rise of mobile telephony in
Cuba. The initial architecture of this platform was designed, but
with a long-term strategy. (Virtualization, Webservices, short-
code usage, layer and modular architecture).
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
75
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
• February 10th, 2015 – The Transfermóvil Pilot Test begins
(Telephone Bill Payment, through Telecommunications Agents
at the Príncipe Telephone Exchange Center with approximately
50 TA).
• March 18th, 2015 – Meeting with Banco Popular de Ahorro
(BPA, for its acronym in Spanish) in which the development of
the mobile banking module within the Transfermóvil project was
agreed to begin as of September 2015.
• November 30th, 2015 – The capability to make payments
and transfers using Transfermóvil with BPA cards was put into
practice. Integration with an accounting system.
• February 23rd, 2016 – The Pilot Test for Mobile Top-Ups and
Nauta Voucher Top-Ups begins through Telecommunications
Agents at the Águila Telephone Exchange Center with
approximately 45 TA. Launching of the rst both APKs:
Transfermóvil 1.160224 and ETECSA.
• March 24th, 2017 – The capability to make payments and
transfers through Transfermóvil using the BANDEC cards was
put into practice.
• March 31st, 2017 – The capability to make payments and
transfers through Transfermóvil using the BANMET cards was
put into practice.
• March 2018 – Within the framework of the International Fair
Informática 2018, a new version of Transfermóvil (1.180230)
was released, capable of being updated via mobile data and
integrating a dozen new services.
• November 2018 – Within the framework of the Havana
International Fair, the top-up service for mobile phone lines via
bank cards (BPA, BANDEC, BANMET) was implemented.
• August 2019 – A dozen new services were launched (Nauta top-
up, microtop-ups, sending remittances, among others).
• October 8th, 2019 – The rst real digital payment using a QR
code was carried out at the market located in the Sierra Maestra
building.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
76
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
• February 2020 – The possibility of purchasing products by
paying through Transfermóvil was extended throughout Cuba
by means of Tuenvio, a virtual store chain under the charge of
the CIMEX corporation.
• March 2020 – A new Transfermóvil version was released, which
included the ability to top up Propia cards. The new functionality
Mis Cuentas was introduced.
• August 2020 – A new version was launched with the following
options: payment of the Nauta Hogar fee, improvements to
electricity bill payment, and payment of taxes to the National
Tax Administration Oce of Cuba (hereinafter, ONAT, for its
acronym in Spanish).
• September 3rd, 2020 – Transfermóvil reached one million users.
• January 12th, 2021 – The MiTransfer Boulevard was launched
at Coppelia ice cream parlor in Havana. (ETECSA-GET).
• March 2021 – Transfermóvil received the CITMA award, along
with nine other works completed in 2020 with the greatest social
and scientic impact.
• April 26th, 2021 – Transfermóvil reached two million users (just
in seven and a half months).
• May 2021 – Transfermóvil received the ANIR National Award.
• June 2021 – A new Transfermóvil version was released including
the possibility to pay trac nes and infringements.
• December 27th, 2021 – A new Transfermóvil version was
released with the following services: purchase of digital fuel
vouchers, postage stamp, Caja Extra, and an update to the ONAT
paragraphs.
• January 29th, 2022 – The MiTransfer Boulevard surpassed
12,000 businesses.
• February 17th, 2022 – Transfermóvil reached the third million
users (just in 10 months).
• February 27th, 2022 – Transfermóvil received a Special Award
from CITMA due to its economic impact.
• March 2022 – A new Transfermóvil version was released,
improving its accessibility for visually impaired individuals.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
77
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
• March 2022 – In collaboration with the international company
Óptima, the capability for its points of sale to sell through
Transfermóvil was implemented.
• March 2022 – Transfermóvil received the Grand Jury Prize at
the International Fair Informática 2022.
• August 19th, 2022 – La Bolsa MiTransfer was launched.
• December 27th, 2022 – The payment of document tax (stamp
duty) is implemented.
• February 28th, 2023 – The Cuban mobile wallet was launched,
and Transfermóvil reached 4 million users.
• April 26th, 2023 – Transfermóvil received the Excellence Award
in the Popular Vote category.
• May 17th, 2023 – Transfermóvil obtained a prestigious special
international mention, REMTECH 2023, which was withdrawn
days later due to blockade-related issues.
• October 2023 – A new Transfermóvil release was launched with
several services aimed at telecommunications agents.
• December 2023 – This was the most productive year in
Transfermóvil’s history up to that point, with seven APK releases,
over fteen new services and improvements, and nearly one
billion transactions. The implementation of the document tax
payment solution is beginning to be widespread.
• January 2024 – Through the payment option to those users
selling their Parranda beer bottles, the Cuban Brewery collected
more than 1 million bottles.
• February 2024
– More than 4 million digital stamps for procedures
were exceeded, facilitated by the Transfermóvil solution.
• March 2024 – The MiTransfer mobile wallet received a special
award at the International Fair Informática 2024.
• April 2024 – The new product MITPV was launched: a 100%
Cuban point-of-sale solution.
• April 2024 – Transfermóvil received recognition from the
Ministry of Finance and Prices for its contribution to tax
payments.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
78
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
• June 24th, 2024 – The digital on-boarding page was launched,
enabling legal entities and self-employed workers (TCP, for its
acronym in Spanish) to receive payments via Transfermóvil in
their businesses and stores.
• June 29th, 2024 – the Transfermóvil platform reached 5 million
users, with over 80,000 businesses having the capability to
receive e-payments.
• October 15th, 2024 – A new product was launched within
Transfermóvil: MiTurno, for booking appointments to purchase
foreign currency at the currency exchange oce (CADECA, for
its acronym in Spanish). APK version: 1.241002.
• November 27th, 2024 – Commercial procedures associated with
liqueed gas in Holguín were incorporated into MiTurno. It then
spread to almost all provinces.
• December 2024 – New heritage views from dierent provinces
were implemented within the Transfermóvil APK. A joint eort
with the Oce of Procedural Formalities Facilitation for the
Payment of Contributions (OFA, for its acronym in Spanish).
• December 17th, 2024 – A new nancial operations module for
users of Banco Financiero Internacional (BFI, for its acronym in
Spanish) was implemented. Release: 1.241211.
• February 10th, 2025 – Transfermóvil’s 10th Anniversary. The
APK Release 1.250210 was launched, including a logo change
and new services such as Alternative Fixed Telephony (TFA,
for its acronym in Spanish) top-up and payment of the heritage
contribution through the MiTransfer wallet.
• February 20th, 2025 – Transfermóvil received the popular vote
award at the Excellence awards.
• April 21st, 2025 – A new Transfermóvil version was released,
including payment, transfer, and query operations for the Clásica
card through the MiTransfer mobile wallet.
• May 8th, 2025 – Implementation of new oers for heritage tours:
Bus Tour, together with OFA and TRANSTUR.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
79
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
• May 10th, 2025 – Start of the pilot test using the sales
terminals: MITPV from Transfermóvil for the liqueed gas sale
in Cienfuegos.
• June 29th, 2025 – Transfermóvil received a recognition from
ONAT for its contribution to the digital transformation in tax
payment.
This chronological data illustrates the technological contributions
of the Transfermóvil project through the implementation of new
services. The project is not only a digital payment platform, but
also a social project focused on the needs of Cuban society. For
every societal demand driven by a need, the Transfermóvil team has
come up with a technological solution associated with improving a
process, contributions that have resulted in sustainable solutions
over time and have not always been conned to the nancial world.
Notable examples include the rst-time implementation of payment
for product purchases in Cuba in February 2020, just days before the
country declared the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was a joint
eort with CIMEX for online payments in the TuEnvío stores, which
enabled millions of virtual purchases, avoiding physical contact
and preserving citizen health. Until then, purchasing products from
virtual stores with digital payments using Cuban bank cards was
unthinkable in Cuba. The purchase of postage stamps was another
service that was implemented through digital payment at a time when
paper stamps were not available for legal procedures. In less than a
month, a solution was developed in conjunction with the Ministry of
Communication (MINCOM, for its acronym in Spanish), the Post Oce
of Cuba, the Ministry of Justice (MINJUS, for its acronym in Spanish),
and other institutions. Collaboration between entities, whether state
or private, has been among the project’s development strategies. The
linkage between entities, where each contributes to a high-impact
nal product with time-ecient execution, has been widely used for
creating new Transfermóvil services.
Forty percent of the implemented services are the result of
user recommendations and suggestions. This reects the project’s
popularity. A team of communication professionals and technical
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
80
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
specialists monitors and participates in various social media groups.
Recommendations and comments about current services or potential
new ones are taken into account.
The great success of the application, responsible for all the
aforementioned results, lies with the specialists who have worked,
frequently uniting days and nights, throughout these 10 years. This
team has gained experience, always ensuring the protection of the
legacy so that it continues advancing and remains sustainable.
The implementation of digital strategies (such as the expanding
online stores and widely adopting QR codes in state and private entities)
drove the development of mobile commerce (M-Commerce). Currently
(2025), Transfermóvil has established itself as a multifunctional
platform, integrating essential services with signicant social impact.
One of the most valuable Transfermóvil’s products is the MiTransfer
wallet (formerly Bolsa MiTransfer), which is referred below. These
features reect Transfermóvil’s contribution to the process of nancial
computerization in the country, positioning it as a key tool in the digital
transformation of the local economic ecosystem. In Cuba, more than
70% of digital operations are carried out through Transfermóvil.
Materials and methods
To complete this paper, research on related texts, observations,
analyses, and data reviews were used. Furthermore, interviews with
Transfermóvil specialists from various media outlets were utilized.
Results
Transfermóvil: Evolution, technique, challenges and
improvements in the Cuban mobile payment app
As previously mentioned, the digitization of nancial services has
been a signicant milestone in the global economy, and Cuba is no
exception. With the launch of Transfermóvil, Cuba now boasts its rst
mobile payment app.
As previously explained, the digitization of nancial services
has been a signicant milestone in the global economy, and Cuba
is no exception of this digital transformation. The emergence of
Transfermóvil marks the arrival of Cuba’s rst mobile payment
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
81
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
application.
The evolution of Transfermóvil can be divided into three phases.
During the rst phase (2015-2019), the application needed to increase
its user base in order to cover e-payments for public services. This
solved one of the main problems that Cuban society had at that time,
which was the long lines for cash payments that had to be made
monthly. However, this growth was slow because users had to gradually
adapt to the digital transition and gain condence and security.
During the second phase (2020-2023), signicant progress was
made globally in developing online stores and remote payment
systems for products that were then delivered to homes. The rst
steps in this direction were taken in 2019 and materialized at the
end of that year and the beginning of 2020. This evolution was
timely, as the development of online shopping became decisive in
the coming years due to the proximity of a pandemic. Despite the
limited experience in this area, their ability to adapt to changes
contributed to the project’s success. Overall, the balance was positive.
For the rst time in Cuba’s history, Cubans could shop in a virtual
store and pay online through Transfermóvil and their products were
delivered to their homes. At that time, the integration standards
with Transfermóvil were established for any store or business to
implement online payments. The number of users grew exponentially,
causing virtual stores to face an overload due to the relationship
between demand and supply. Going back to Transfermóvil, it also
had to promptly guarantee greater scaling of the platform through
bigger infrastructure. Many optimizations were also made at the
code and database level, enabling the implementation of dozens of
new services and supporting the growth of millions of users.
In its most recent phase (2023-to the present), the MiTransfer wallet
was created, a process that began back in 2022. Of all the products
created, the wallet has the greatest potential and scope. With the
MiTransfer wallet, nancial services and processes are decoupled
from banking functions related to users, allowing non-banking entities
to handle these payment functions. Each person has virtual accounts
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
82
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
in the wallet, that are topped up via payments made with bank cards
within Transfermóvil. In the case of the USD account, top-up comes
from abroad via remittances.
The MiTransfer wallet’s strength lies in its ability to function
without direct banking operations if the money is already in virtual
accounts. It also represents an opportunity for the unbanked persons
and provides an alternative in the event of nancial system failures.
Very few countries have 100% national wallets. Currently, there are
challenges and opportunities, such as the increasing prevalence of
crypto assets in today’s world. This is a point of evolution for projects
such as Transfermóvil.
It is essential to continue on teaching new technologies not only
for senior citizens, but to anyone who are interested in acquiring this
knowledge. Regarding this matter, several studies have consistently
shown that platform usage is not age-dependent which is a positive
result that has remained consistent over the years and highlights the
application’s (APK) ease of use. An interesting nding reveals that
women use Transfermóvil more frequently than men, while 10.6% of
users are aged over 60. Figure 1 shows the growth of Transfermóvil
Figure 1. Chronology of user growth by age group and gender using the
platform. Author’s own work.
users over time and their distribution by age and gender. —a highly
positive and sustained outcome over the years, which highlights the
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
83
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
user-friendly nature of its application
Transfermóvil processes approximately 130 million transactions
per month, averaging 48 transactions per second. Throughout its
10-year history, the platform has not experienced any security
breaches that compromised the service. This is a positive aspect for
a platform that handles money.
Table 1 shows the geometric growth of operations within
Transfermóvil’s core services. This sustained growth underscores
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
the platform’s increasing popularity and usage. Today, Transfermóvil
is part of every Cuban’s daily routine and represents an essential
technological tool in everyday life.
1. Online payment
On Transfermóvil, people can make online payments for purchases
Table 1. Geometric growth of essential services in Transfermóvil. Author’s
own work
Figure 2. Online payment service
on Transfermóvil. Taken from the
application
pp. 72 - 91
84
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
at private or state-owned establishments. This payment method
includes the merchant’s details. It can oer bonuses, has no payment
amount limits, and only requires scanning the QR code and entering
the PIN for authentication, as shown in Figure 2.
On Transfermóvil, online payments are classied based on the
nature of QR code:
• Static QR: This QR code has a xed format and is exclusively
issued by the MiTransfer Boulevard platform. It contains the
business’s details, but not information regarding the specic
product or service to be acquired.
• Dynamic QR: This QR code varies based on the product or
service the customer wishes. Generated by a business, it includes
transaction-specic data, such as the transaction number,
amount, and currency.
Online payments have grown signicantly over the past ve
years, with an average annual growth rate of 54.7% between 2020
and 2024. 2024 saw the highest growth rate, with transactions
exceeding 107%. Several variables have impacted this outcome.
First, the successful policy of encouraging online payments has
Figure 3. Online Payment Amount (2020-2024). Taken from the analysis of
online payment behaviors on Transfermóvil
contributed to this increase, as has the diculty of obtaining cash.
Additionally, electronic payments reduce operating costs associated
with transferring, protecting, and securing money. Figure 3 shows the
pp. 72 - 91
85
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
growth of online payments from 2020 to 2024.
There are good examples of these electronic payment policies
being implemented. The rst case study is ETECSA, which oers all
its services via electronic payments. More than seven years ago, it
became the rst entity to eliminate long lines at its oces by digitally
transforming all its service processes. Transfermóvil played a leading
and fundamental role in this transformation, covering all payments
related to the entity’s services within the APK. This platform generates
more than 85% of the company’s revenue.
With the Caja Extra service, customers make digital payments
to the entity and receive cash in return. This service originated due
to the lack of ATMs in our society. Once again, Transfermóvil has
provided a technological solution that allows Cubans to obtain cash
at no additional cost. The population has been very pleased with this
service. ETECSA was a pioneer in this area, as it reduces operational
costs related to transportation and security since most of the time,
commercial oces close without cash because it is dispensed through
the Caja Extra service.
Another example is TRD Caribe chain store. Based on a successful
strategy, it extended online payments to its entire chain of stores,
which now represent an important volume of its revenues in millions
of pesos.
During the rst years of its use, from 2020 to 2021, dynamic QR
codes were the most popular, but in subsequent years, static QR codes
became more prevalent due to their versatility of usage and the fact
that they don’t require technology; only a material (paper, plastic, etc.)
with the QR code. The following graph (Figure 4) shows the evolution
of online payments.
Figure 4. Online payment evolution.
Taken from Analysis of online payment
behaviors on Transfermóvil
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
86
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
The MiTransfer Boulevard platform was jointly developed with
the Computing Services for Tourism Company (GET, for its acronym
in Spanish). This platform is in charge of generating QR codes for
the dierent merchants and allows both their management and
reconciliation of their nancial operations.
Currently, more than 250,000 businesses and commerce accept
online payments via Transfermóvil. This is an additional development
strategy that has been successful for over four years and has grown
exponentially in terms of results.
Although the statistics obtained regarding e-payments can be
evaluated as good, the percentage of online payments compared
to the total payment operation capacity is far from the desired
level. This indicates that eorts must continue to mitigate non-
technological factors aecting the achievement of desired online
payment indicators.
The inter-account transfer service remains the most popular
feature of Transfermóvil. Online payments doubled, and the Caja
Extra service quintupled in 2024, indicating their growing popularity.
For every fteen transfers, one online payment is made. For every
Caja Extra transaction, 3.5 online payments and 53 transfers are
carried out. Figure 5 shows the distribution of online payments
through Transfermóvil by province.
Figure 5. Distribution of online payments through Transfermóvil by provinces.
Author’s own work.
Figure 6. Transfermóvil’s online store galleries
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
87
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Transfermóvil, in collaboration with Avangenio, oers another
solution: The Point-of-Sale Terminal (MITPV, for its acronym in
Spanish):
1. Payment for products and services purchased. At the customer’s
request, specic services, such as Caja Extra, can be added.
2. This method can be used for self-service payments. Customized
service.
3. Multiple payment options: Transfermóvil, Visa and Mastercard,
Cash, etc.
4. Each payment is classied by product and quantity.
5. Refunds. This option is editable in multiple languages.
6. Ability to connect to an accounting or inventory system.
Figure 7 shows the MiTransfer Point-of-Sale Terminal.
Transfermóvil has laid the groundwork for future innovations
in Cuba’s e-commerce ecosystem. In summary, the data shows that
the App has solved immediate problems of nancial access and
operational eciency. It is also driving a structural transformation in
the Cuban economy, providing tangible benets to citizens, private
businesses, and the State. Its continuous evolution suggests that it
will remain a key driver of digitalization in Cuba in the coming years.
2. MiTransfer Wallet
Since its launch on August 19, 2022, as a complement to
Transfermóvil, it has transformed the Cuban nancial landscape and
Figure 7. MiTransfer Point-of-Sale Terminal
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
88
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
reached nearly one million active users. This digital wallet operates
independently of the banking network and is experiencing a growing
trend in operations and users. It has enabled tens of thousands of
unbanked individuals to participate in the Cuban e-commerce
ecosystem, despite not having bank cards, by facilitating them to
make digital payments. It is a Transfermóvil’s product that has not yet
reached maturity due to various non-technological causes. Therefore, a
well-dened policy has been established to promote its use by oering
new services that are attractive to both banked and unbanked users.
As its use is strengthened with new services, MiTransfer will become
a better alternative to bank cards. Currently, the MiTransfer wallet
has two virtual accounts: one in CUP and one in USD. However, it has
the ability to have other virtual accounts. With the CUP account, you
can receive money from bank cards through the wallet top-up option
in each bank-associated APK. The USD account receives money from
abroad through remittances. The MiTransfer wallet oers a similar
service portfolio to other banks: online payments, transfers, and
utility payments can be made.
The maximum amount of money in each virtual account in this
wallet is 80,000 CUP for CUP accounts and 5,000 USD for USD
accounts. To register for the Transfermóvil APK, you only need to own
a mobile telephone line and enter your identity card information and
set your PIN.
The telecommunications agent module, the rst independent
module of Transfermóvil in 2015, is within the mobile wallet. Since
2024, it has been integrated into the wallet, giving these economic
players a greater range of service options to oer: payment of telephone
bills, mobile top-ups, Nauta top-ups, Nauta Hogar payments, Propia
card top-ups, Alternative Fixed Telephony top-ups, (known as TFA,
for its acronym in Spanish) and purchase of plans and data packages.
In 2025, the MiTransfer wallet included the option for individuals
to use the Cuban Clásica card. This allows users to make transfers
between Classic cards, check their account balances, view recent
transactions, and make online payments. This is another example of
collaboration between entities.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
89
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
Currently, there are several lines of development open for new
services associated with the wallet. These services are expected to be
launched this year and, due to their societal impact, should encourage
its use.
Conclusions
Transfermóvil has established itself as a fundamental tool in
the digitization of nancial and commercial services in Cuba. Its
evolution from a simple xed phone bill payment application to an
all-encompassing digital payment platform reects its commitment
to the Cuban people. Over the past 10 years, Transfermóvil has
contributed to the economic, social, and technological development of
various sectors of Cuban society. It has been a pioneer in transforming
the digital society with substantial signicance especially in the
nancial sector. It is a platform oering more than 70 IT services
and products that facilitate nancial transactions. The most notable
include the MiTransfer wallet, MiTransfer Boulevard, MiTurno, the
telecommunications agent module, and MITPV, among others.
There is still much to be done and technological challenges and
obstacles to overcome. The project’s sustainability and its role in the
transformation of digital society are priorities in the project’s strategy
for the coming years. Teamwork and technological networking with
other economic actors will be paramount in developing new services.
The digital transformation of a society is not a destination but a path to
be followed, one that must be consistent in every new service design.
This digital transformation will yield better results to the extent that
strategic, timely, and rapid decisions are made.
In the context of economic reforms, implementation is key
to achieving Cuba’s technological and financial sovereignty. Its
success depends on the ability to scale solutions that balance
innovation, accessibility, and security while addressing the real
needs of the population. Transfermóvil is more than an APK; it is
a symbol of how Cuba can adapt technology to its particularities.
It shows that inclusive digital alternatives can be built even in
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
90
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
complex environments. Its evolution will serve as an indicator of
computerization progress in Cuban society in the coming years.
Bibliografía
Anaya, A., & Lopez, I. (2014). La tecnología NFC en teléfonos celulares, sus retos y
aplicaciones.
Avances en la informatización de la sociedad cubana. (s.f.). Recuperado el 7
de Septiembre de 2015, de Cubadebate: http://mesaredonda.cubadebate.
cu/temas/ciencia-y-tecnologia-temas/2015/09/17/avances-en-la-
informatizacion-de-la-sociedad-cubana/
Aydin, N., Cozkun, V., & Osdenizci, B. (2009). Exploring underlying values of NFC
applications, in Proc. of International Conf. on Management Technology and
Applications (ICMTA 2010), Singapur, pp. 10–12.
Bernardos, A. (2008). Modelo de integración de tecnologías para la provisión de
servicios móviles basados en localización y contexto. Tesis Doctoral.
Buellingen, F., & Woerter, M. (2004). Development Perspectives, Firm Strategies
and Applications in Mobile Commerce, Journal of Business Research.
Camacho Casado, L. (2014). Nuevas Inversiones para aanzar la banca
electronica.
Chaparro, G. (2010). Mobile Financial Services - An Integrated Solution, Gemalto.
Cujin, D., & Gerrero, L. (2014). Analisis de la factibilidad para la implementación
de la billetera móvil en la ciudad de cuenca.
Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (s.f.). Obtenido de Portal del
Trabajador: http://www.portal.etecsa.cu/
Gartner. (2013). Gartner Says Worldwide Mobile Payment Transaction Value to
Surpass $235 Billion in 2013, Stanford, Connecticut.
Hanouch, M., & Chen, G. (2015). La importancia del USSD en la promoción de la
competencia en los pagos por móvil.
Huang, H. (2007). Diusion of Mobile Commerce Application in the Market, IEEE
Innovative Computing, Information and Control.
Kadhiwal, S. (2007). Analysis of mobile payment security measures and dierent
standards. Computer Fraud & Security.
Liebana-Cabanillas, F. (2012). El papel de los medios de pago en los nuevos
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
91
ISSN: 2224-6274, RNPS: 0514, Vol. 21, No. 1, january - july, 2025.
entornos electrónicos. Tesis Doctoral, Departamento de Comercialización e
Investigación de Mercados.
Masamila, B., Mtenzi, F., Said, J., & Tinabo, R. (2010). A Secured Mobile Payment
Model for Developing Markets, Communications in Computer and Information
Science.
Nambiar, S., Chang, T., & Liang, L. (2004). Analysis of Payment Transaction
Security in Mobile Commerce. IEEE Information Reuse and Integration.
Revista Nro. 3, Telebanca. (2007). Revista del Banco central de Cuba.
Reyes, L. (2025). Análisis de comportamiento de los pagos en línea en
Transfermóvil, Msc. Tesis de la Facultad de Ingeniería Informática, Universidad
Tecnológica de La Habana José Antonio Echeverría.
Rivera, C. (2011). Servicios de Transacciones Económicas de dinero móvil entre
usuarios de las operadoras del servicio móvil avanzado en el ecuador.
Rivera, C. (2012). Implementación del sistema de pagos y transacciones a través
de las redes del servicio móvil avanzado para atender a la población sin acceso
a la banca formal en el Ecuador.
Schwiderski, S., & Knospe, H. (2011). Secure M-Commerce.
Transfermóvil, 10 Years With Us
MSc. Julio Antonio García Trápaga
pp. 72 - 91
