The photos and stories are heartbreaking. So you all know Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. As of today, most citizens there still can’t get smartphone or Internet service. But thankfully, IT support companies are helping out in various ways. This is a report on technology, Puerto Rico, and Maria.
Cell phone providers AT&T and T-Mobile now have a registry. This registry includes the phone numbers of family and friends in Puerto Rico. Then, when they can get cell service, they registry tells them family and friends in the US are trying to reach them. So far, over 12,000 people are in this registry. Then there’s Tesla. They’re sending their Powerwall battery systems to Puerto Rico. In fact, they’re sending hundreds of them. Keep in mind over 90% of the island is without power, and could be for months. Furthermore, Tesla already has their people there to install these systems. Facebook vows to send teams to deliver emergency telecommunication services. Also, Facebook is donating over $1.5 million dollars to relief efforts. They’re doing everything they can to get Puerto Rico back online.? They can even use their drone service to help.
This is an all hands on deck situation. This includes those in computer repair and all other tech fields. For the few computers that are running, they’ll be needed to keep those systems going. Lives are on the line. And I’m glad tech companies are there to help. These are just a handful of examples. For example, here is what Apple is doing. And the situation affects so many. In our computer service shop, a client came in and had to cancel his trip to San Juan. Last time I checked, he’s running a food and water drive to help get supplies down there. So this is the situation all over the land when it comes to technology, Puerto Rico, and Maria. What can you do to help?