FCC Sets Process for $691 Million Investment in Puerto Rico & USVI Networks

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau established the procedures for its investment of up to $691.2 million over the next ten years to support the deployment of advanced, hardened broadband and voice networks to all locations in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. This investment will help ensure that those living in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands will have access to and benefit from the same high-speed broadband services that residents of the mainland United States enjoy. This is the second stage in the agency’s rollout of support to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. This stage allocates more than $500 million over ten years in fixed broadband support through the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund. It also allocates more than $180 million over ten years for fixed broadband support through the Connect USVI Fund. This funding stage will use a competitive process to award support for fixed voice and broadband services based on the weighting of price and network performance, including speed, latency, and usage allowance. The FCC will release an application form, instructions, and announce the application deadline soon, following approval by the Office of Management and Budget. The FCC also has allocated up to $258.8 million in support for mobile service, including 5G, in Puerto Rico and the U\S Virgin Islands over a three-year period.