IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA
IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA	4. IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA During September 2017, the economy, the Company’s customer base and its operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands were severely impacted by the Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Company’s wireless and wireline networks as well as its commercial operations were severely damaged by these storms. As a result of the significant damage to the wireline network and the lack of consistent commercial power in the territory, the Company was unable to provide most of its wireline services, which comprise the majority of revenue in this business, subsequent to the Hurricanes and through a majority of 2018. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recorded a net pre-tax loss within the Company’s consolidated statement of operations of $4.0 million related to the impact of the Hurricanes. This loss consisted of $35.4 million for the write off of damaged assets, net of insurance recoveries of $34.6 million which were received in February 2018. This loss also included $3.2 million of additional operating expenses that were specifically incurred to address the impact of the Hurricanes. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company received $15.5 million in additional funding from the Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC”) Universal Service Fund (“USF”) to further subsidize its operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands that was recorded as revenue. This level of additional funding is not expected to continue in future periods. During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, the Company spent $8.6 million and $80.2 million, respectively, for network restoration and resiliency enhancements which allowed the reconnection of a significant majority of affected households and businesses. The Company believes that the wireline network restoration work is substantially complete, however, returning the Company’s revenue to pre-Hurricane levels may take significant time as a result of population movements, the economic impact the Hurricanes had on the market, and the Company’s subscriber base’s appetite for continued wireline services.

4. IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA

During September 2017, the economy, the Company’s customer base and its operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands were severely impacted by the Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Company’s wireless and wireline networks as well as its commercial operations were severely damaged by these storms. As a result of the significant damage to the wireline network and the lack of consistent commercial power in the territory, the Company was unable to provide most of its wireline services, which comprise the majority of revenue in this business, subsequent to the Hurricanes and through a majority of 2018.

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recorded a net pre-tax loss within the Company’s consolidated statement of operations of $4.0 million related to the impact of the Hurricanes. This loss consisted of $35.4 million for the write off of damaged assets, net of insurance recoveries of $34.6 million which were received in February 2018. This loss also included $3.2 million of additional operating expenses that were specifically incurred to address the impact of the Hurricanes.

During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company received $15.5 million in additional funding from the Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC”) Universal Service Fund (“USF”) to further subsidize its operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands that was recorded as revenue. This level of additional funding is not expected to continue in future periods.

During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, the Company spent $8.6 million and $80.2 million, respectively, for network restoration and resiliency enhancements which allowed the reconnection of a significant majority of affected households and businesses. The Company believes that the wireline network restoration work is substantially complete, however, returning the Company’s revenue to pre-Hurricane levels may take significant time as a result of population movements, the economic impact the Hurricanes had on the market, and the Company’s subscriber base’s appetite for continued wireline services.