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IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA  
IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA

6. IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA

 

During September 2017, the US Virgin Islands economy, the Company’s customer base and its operations in the US Virgin Islands were severely impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria (collectively, the “Hurricanes”).  Both the Company’s wireless and wireline networks and commercial operations were severely damaged by these storms and 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 its revenue in this business, from mid-September 2017 through a majority of 2018.  The Company received insurance recoveries of $34.6 million in February 2018 to aid its recovery from the impact of the Hurricanes.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and March 31, 2019, the Company spent $30.9 million and $0.1 million, respectively, for network restoration and resiliency enhancements that allowed the reconnection of a significant majority of affected households and businesses as of the period end.  The Company expects that its 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 negative economic impact the Hurricanes had on the local economy, and the Company’s subscriber base’s future appetite for continued wireline services.