USF Restores 290 Public Wi-Fi Sites Damaged By Hurricane Melissa

The Universal Service Fund (USF) has restored 290 public Wi-Fi sites as of March 31, 2026, following widespread damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, provided the update as she opened the debate on the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act in the Senate on Friday (May 1).

She noted that under the Community Wi Fi Programme, all major townships across Jamaica have been outfitted with public Wi Fi hotspots, spanning the 63 constituencies and serving 235 active users islandwide.

“I understand that Hurricane Melissa affected many of those hotspots. In fact, 90 per cent of the 415 sites islandwide were affected by Melissa. So even though we speak actively about the fact that there were five most affected parishes, we just remind ourselves that Melissa affected Jamaica as a whole,” the Minister stated.

“But 70 per cent… 290 sites… were restored as at the end of March, and all of the community hotspots have been restored in Hanover, St. Elizabeth, St. James, Trelawny, and Westmoreland. I think this is something that we should commend everyone on who has had a hand in restoring connectivity,” she added.

Meanwhile, Minister Johnson Smith reported that under the National Broadband Initiative, more than 600 educational institutions, all municipal corporations, numerous ministries, departments and agencies of Government, as well as the courts across the island, have been connected to broadband Internet.

The National Broadband Network aims to connect every household and community across Jamaica to the Internet.

Under the initiative, Jamaicans will be provided with a minimum level of broadband speed as a basic service requirement.

They will benefit from high speed broadband delivered within five kilometres of most homes and businesses.