The Digital Divide: Internet Access as Colonial Infrastructure
Puerto Rico's internet infrastructure reflects colonial priorities — expensive relative to mainland rates, vulnerable to hurricanes, and unevenly distributed. After Hurricane María destroyed much of the telecommunications infrastructure, the digital divide between urban and rural Puerto Rico became a crisis of access, education, and economic survival.
Internet access in Puerto Rico is another dimension of colonial infrastructure — expensive, fragile, unevenly distributed, and controlled by external corporations.
The Infrastructure:
- Puerto Rico connects to the global internet via submarine fiber optic cables
- Major providers: Liberty (formerly Liberty Cablevision), Claro (América Móvil), T-Mobile
- Internet speeds vary dramatically: urban areas may have broadband; rural areas rely on satellite or cellular
- Costs are higher than mainland averages for comparable service
- The Jones Act affects the cost of telecommunications equipment (imported by sea)
Hurricane María and the Digital Collapse:
When María struck on September 20, 2017:
- 95% of cell towers were knocked out
- Submarine cable landing stations were damaged
- Internet access essentially ceased for weeks
- The collapse of communications made disaster response exponentially harder
The Colonial Dimension:
1. Underinvestment: Telecommunications companies invested less per capita in Puerto Rico
2. Regulatory limbo: Under FCC jurisdiction but limited voice in federal policy
3. Monopoly conditions: Limited competition means higher prices, lower service quality
4. Federal funding: Less per capita from federal broadband expansion programs
5. Jones Act effect: Equipment shipped to Puerto Rico costs more
Education Impact:
- During COVID-19, remote learning required internet access — many students had none
- Students in rural areas were particularly affected
- School closures concentrated education in fewer locations
Economic Impact:
- Remote work opportunities require reliable internet
- Small businesses need internet for commerce
- FEMA disaster assistance applications moved online — people without access couldn't apply
- Act 60 attracts mainland remote workers who get reliable internet, while nearby Puerto Rican residents may have inferior service
Community Responses:
- Community organizations created Wi-Fi hotspots
- Libraries became critical internet access points after María
- Solar-powered internet stations deployed in some areas
- Community mesh networks explored as alternatives to corporate infrastructure
Sources
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Broadband Puerto Rico - FCC
https://www.fcc.gov/ -
Digital Divide PR - Pew Research
https://www.pewresearch.org/