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FCC approves additional $950 million for broadband in Puerto Rico
The FCC is making good on its plans to further fund Puerto Rican broadband. Commissioners have voted in favor of an additional $950 million to "improve, expand and harden" communications in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Over $500 million of this will go to fixed broadband in Puerto Rico over the next 10 years, while roughly $250 million will go to mobile data over three years. The Virgin Islands will receive $180 million in 10 years for fixed broadband, with another $4 million devoted to mobile.
FCC offers another $950 million for broadband in Puerto Rico
The FCC isn't done funding Puerto Rican broadband in the wakes of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Chairman Ajit Pai has circulated a draft order that would offer another $950 million to "storm-harden, improve and expand" broadband in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Not surprisingly, the FCC is pitching this using the prospect of next-gen internet access as a lure. This would help deploy 5G and gigabit fiber to the territories, the agency said, helping residents "fully participate" in the digita world.
Boost Mobile intros International Connect, features unlimited texts to anyone, anywhere
A few Boost Mobile constituents are likely to appreciate the carrier's recent efforts to make conversations abroad more affordable with its International Connect plan. The $5 per month add-on provides unlimited calling to Canada and to over 150 cities in Mexico (landlines only), and unlimited text messages to anywhere in the world for CDMA users in the US, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. Insatiable talkers (who haven't heard of Skype) can pay an extra $5 and get unlimited calls to over 30 countries including China, South Korea and Singapore. While we applaud Boost's efforts here (and adore the unrestrained texting), we'd really like to see this 'landlines' caveat go away -- who uses those anymore?
AT&T bringing iPhone 3G to Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands later this month
Just because you live in a tropical paradise doesn't mean you need to forgo a shot at the iPhone 3G -- heck, Hawaii has already proved that. There are yet more vacation havens within AT&T's expansive realm, though, and the carrier's about to throw two of 'em a bone later this month when it brings Apple's bundle of joy (or seething hatred, depending on your disposition) to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico's solid for 3G coverage -- but you may as well just leave the "3G" off "iPhone 3G" when you head over to St. Croix, seeing how there's no HSDPA to be found in those parts. Anyway, you'll be able to get "iReady" (AT&T's verbiage, not ours) on October 17.
Sprint offers up 'unlimited' wireless plan for Puerto Rico, USVI
Those camped out in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands (lucky...) now have yet another wireless plan option courtesy of Sprint, and although that "unlimited" keyword may look enticing, it's enclosed in quotes for a reason. The firm's newest unlimited calling plan was reportedly developed specifically for the Sprint Caribbean market and is available for new and existing customers. The $49.99-per-month plan "includes all local and long distance calls received or generated within the local Puerto Rico and USVI coverage area, as well as long-distance calls from [Sprint] mobile to mobile." Of course, one call to the US mainland, and you'll be hit with a $0.25-per-minute fee as well as an additional $0.69-per-minute if you're roaming, so we'd keep it local if we were you.
Calabash World Explorer, your GPS-based tour guide to paradise
While we've covered a lot of GPS devices in our day, we've never seen one that appears to come with a tropical flower adorning its digital visage. The Calabash World Explorer, built by a new US Virgin Islands-based technology tourism startup, is loaded up with what we assume are local maps and an audio tour guide to help guide you around St. Thomas. It'll play your music and show photos, and also includes an "encyclopedia" (which we'll assume is Virgin Islands-focused). We've got no idea what kind of hardware it's got inside the curvaceous case, nor how much renting one of these things costs, but that flower better come in the box or someone's getting an umbrella drink thrown in their face.
