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The Executive Director of the Smart Island program under the Puerto Rico government, Enrique Völckers-Nin, has announced the successful submission of the five-year Action Plan ahead of the stipulated deadline, thereby fulfilling the requirements set forth by the federal government.
Völckers-Nin remarked, ‘The agenda is ambitious, comprehensive, and absolutely essential in enhancing citizens’ access to high-speed internet. Simultaneously, it will bolster connectivity and fortify telecommunications resilience throughout Puerto Rico.’ He holds the position of Deputy Secretary for Innovation, Information, Data, and Technology in the commonwealth as well.
The plan elaborates on the fact that the internet is a vital service enabling education, work, medical assistance, communication, and more. This underscores the significance of projects aimed at elevating telecommunications infrastructure quality. ‘This has assumed tremendous importance,’ the plan emphasizes.
In response to the need for a robust telecommunications framework, the primary objective of the Smart Island program is to facilitate broadband infrastructure development and endorse initiatives that empower residents with service access.
Völckers-Nin further expounded, ‘Our program actively collaborates with governmental bodies, federal authorities, community entities, and segments of Puerto Rico’s telecommunications industry. Our goal is to ensure that all Puerto Ricans, even those residing in the remotest corners of the island, can access vital resources to enjoy high-speed internet. This accessibility will enable them to avail essential services promptly and conveniently.’
The program’s four core pillars focus on ensuring universal connectivity across residential, commercial, and governmental structures in Puerto Rico. This entails maintaining high-quality and speedy connectivity that delivers a minimum recurrent capacity of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads. Additionally, the program aims to ensure affordable and reliable access for all individuals, along with cultivating fundamental technological knowledge and digital tool proficiency.
Within the framework of the Smart Island program, initiatives have been crafted to enhance connectivity, quality, and accessibility. Notably, a project allocating $50 million to the Public Wi-Fi Program (Puerto Rico Wi-Fi Public Access) has been launched. This project’s initial phase involves establishing 190 public Wi-Fi zones spanning 46 municipalities.
Locations for these Wi-Fi spaces were selected in collaboration with the municipalities. They encompass sites like libraries, public service buildings, beaches, community centers, parks, walking areas, ferry terminals, and viewpoints, among others.
The implementation of the Internet Subsidy Program in Puerto Rico has already garnered recognition from the federal government, according to the official.
Simultaneously, an allocation of $30 million has been earmarked for the Internet Resilience and Hardening initiative. This program will financially support local internet providers in fortifying their infrastructure to withstand challenging circumstances. The funds will enable providers to acquire resources such as backup generators, solar panels, and batteries, ensuring seamless service even during emergencies.
In the upcoming months, a design project is set to commence, backed by an estimated investment exceeding $300 million from federal and local sources. This project will involve the establishment and underground installation of optical fiber, as indicated by Völckers-Nin.
The plan will be made accessible in Spanish and will be available next week.