Puerto Rico mobile telecoms recovery edges closer to 100%

Puerto Rico is nearing total recovery of its mobile telecoms service after they were devastated by Hurricane María, according to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Only 5.6% of cell sites were still out of service as of February 16. On the US Virgin Islands, 14.7% of sites were out.

In terms of cable and wireline connections, most services have been restored as commercial power has come back on in the respective areas.

In its Q4 results, released last week, Liberty Latin America said that 450,000 subscribers were back online as 530 miles of cable has been restored.

Following the storm, the FCC freed up US$76.9mn from the Universal Service Fund for use by telecoms operators to repair damage to wireless and wireline infrastructure in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

However, in an assessment commissioned by the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, the island's telecom regulator JRTPR estimated the damage at US$1.5bn. For more information, see BNamericas' infra report on Puerto Rico's recovery.

According to a report by the Financial Times, one in five Puerto Ricans are still without electricity and an estimated 200,000-300,000 of its 3.4mn population have left since the hurricane struck.