FCC Activates DIRS for Puerto Rico Earthquakes; One-Third of Network Has Problems
The FCC activated its disaster information reporting system for Puerto Rico communications infrastructure after recent earthquakes (see 2001070043), it said Tuesday. The agency wants updated information on telecom providers' communications equipment, restoration efforts and power sources (commercial or backup) daily…
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by 10 a.m. until the DIRS is deactivated. The FCC’s first status report Wednesday showed 31.7 percent cellsites out of service, mostly due to power outages. Cable and wireline companies reported more than 258,600 subscribers out of service but no broadcast or 911 outages. A public notice had guidance on special temporary authority and relief requests. The FCC provided 24/7 emergency contacts. About 26 percent of the territory's network is operating with connection problems, with power outages the main reason, said Puerto Rico Telecommunications Regulatory Board President Sandra Torres Lopez in an interview Tuesday. Industry is relying on backup batteries, but they aren’t lasting, with electricity out more than 12 hours, she said. After batteries went down, industry faces the difficult task of replenishing the generators for antennas, she said. Industry is more prepared than it was for Hurricane Maria, including having more generators, Torres said: “They have enough generators, but they need to move [them] from area to the other area because they are not in place.” The commission is telling Puerto Ricans to use phones only for emergency calls to prevent network congestion, she said.