IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA
IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA	5. IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA During September 2017, the US Virgin Islands’ economy, the Company’s customer base and its operations were all severely impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria (collectively, the “Hurricanes”). 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 our revenue in this business, from mid-September 2017 and through most 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 US 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, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the Company spent $0.1 million, $80.2 million and $8.6 million, respectively, for network restoration and resiliency enhancements that allowed the reconnection of a significant majority of affected households and businesses. The Company’s wireline network restoration work is complete, however, whether the Company’s revenue recovers to pre-Hurricane levels will be impacted by population movements, the degree of negative economic impact of the Hurricanes on the local economy, and the Company’s subscriber base’s future appetite for wireline services.

IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

5. IMPACT OF HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA

During September 2017, the US Virgin Islands’ economy, the Company’s customer base and its operations were all severely impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria (collectively, the “Hurricanes”). 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 our revenue in this business, from mid-September 2017 and through most 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 US 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, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the Company spent $0.1 million, $80.2 million and $8.6 million, respectively, for network restoration and resiliency enhancements that allowed the reconnection of a significant majority of affected households and businesses. The Company’s wireline network restoration work is complete, however, whether the Company’s revenue recovers to pre-Hurricane levels will be impacted by population movements, the degree of negative economic impact of the Hurricanes on the local economy, and the Company’s subscriber base’s future appetite for wireline services.