How Puerto Rico’s resilience has driven its infrastructure growth since Hurricane Maria

San Juan, Puerto Rico (August 27, 2024) – Though the internet was created over 30 years ago, there has been a big shift in how popular it has become in everyday households over the last decade. In Puerto Rico, the internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity. You might assume that today, almost every single household on the island has an internet subscription, but this is simply not true. In fact, more than 620,000 households on the island do not have broadband connections.

Like many U.S. states and other territories, though, Puerto Rico officials and the Puerto Rico Broadband Program (PRBP) are making strides to connect all its residents.

To better understand how and why some Puerto Ricans still do not have internet access, the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics contracted the national nonprofit Connected Nation (CN) in 2015 to research trends in technology among residential and business users. This put CN in a unique position to understand how technology on the island was impacted by Hurricane Maria.

In September 2017, the category four hurricane made landfall on the island, devastating 3.4 million people. According to Mercy Corps, 100% of Puerto Rico's electricity was cut off. This stopped all internet usage and most other forms of communication.

“The internet represents a lifeline for so many Americans and Puerto Ricans, giving them the opportunity to stay in touch with friends and family members during times of crisis like this,” said Chris McGovern, Director of Research Development, CN. “It’s important to make sure we know who is and isn’t connected. Gathering data and understanding the trends is one important part of that equation. Understanding the problem means we can then find solutions and look for ways to help more people and more businesses in Puerto Rico.”

The aftermath of the storm

During the years following the hurricane, Puerto Rico focused on rebuilding. That included broadband, among other forms of infrastructure. Many people who struggled to get connected during that time were households making under $20,000 a year.

But with the hard work of the PRBP, federal broadband funding programs, and partners like CN, the number of unserved Puerto Rican households dramatically decreased from 2018 to 2022.

In fact, Puerto Rico ranked the fourth highest among all states/U.S. territories in terms of how much access improved over that five-year period.

The following data are from the American Community Service Data (ACS), U.S. Census Bureau. 

“Even though the numbers are improving, this tells us that we need to look at ways to make broadband more accessible — especially finding ways to lower the cost,” said Chris Pedersen, VP of Development and Planning, CN. Affordability can be a key barrier on an island where all 78 municipalities are deemed to be in persistent poverty. “We must help all people keep and afford high-speed internet because it can impact everything from their education to their pocketbook. It can ease isolation for seniors and help those dealing with physical challenges interact with their doctors more often. The benefits are endless and can improve the quality of life for everyone.”

What’s next

Today, the PRBP is working to connect more of its residents and keep them connected.

“The primary purpose of this program will be to coordinate, authorize, and execute the disbursement of local and federal funds allocated to Puerto Rico for the construction of broadband infrastructure on the island,” according to the PRBP’s website. “The Program developed a five-year strategic plan that will guarantee that the funds are used within the terms established for doing so and will ensure that the broadband infrastructure necessary to close the Digital Divide on the island is promptly built.”

The PRBP is also working with U.S. federal agencies on navigating and deploying available funds. They include the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, Capital Projects Fund (CPF), State Digital Equity, and much more.

The data is clear: Puerto Rico’s infrastructure has improved significantly since Hurricane Maria, and it poised for continued growth thanks to its depth of resources, and a spirit of resilience.

About the Author: Lily McCoy is the Connected Nation Senior Communications Specialist. Lily provides support to the Communications Department through social media outreach and writing. She also adds a source of creativity to the team with a background in personal relations and marketing. Lily has a bachelors in corporate and organizational communications from Western Kentucky University.