Chairman Pai's Response to Members of Congress Regarding Telecommunications Connectivity in Puerto Rico During the COVID-19 Pandemic

On May 26, 2020, Reps Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and Darren Soto (D-FL) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to request the FCC to provide an update on the status of communications networks in Puerto Rico and determine whether its residents have maintained reliable connectivity throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The Reps wrote they were deeply concerned about the potential for continued communications disruptions, in light of recent earthquakes and the lingering impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

On Aug 25, Chairman Pai responded by saying the FCC has not received reports of widespread and lengthy outages, in contrast to the breakdown during and immediately after the 2017 Hurricane Season. "The rapid recovery after the January 2020 earthquakes was due in no small part to the extraordinary restoration efforts of the island's telecommunications carriers," which developed more resilient networks as well as a recovery strategy that took lessons learned from Hurricane Maria. He described various efforts the FC has taken to address the matter.