Incommunicado: The continuing saga of inefficient public safety LMR communications in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s public safety communications systems have remained structurally fragile for decades, despite repeated warnings, federal planning efforts, and the catastrophic lessons of Hurricane Maria. In this policy report, we examine the historical, institutional, and technical factors that have prevented the island from achieving interoperable, resilient land mobile radio (LMR) and emergency communications capabilities. Drawing on our direct engagement with government officials since 2007, as well as federal after-action reports, peer-reviewed research, and regulatory analyses, we demonstrate that Puerto Rico’s challenges stem less from a lack of technology or spectrum than from fragmented governance, inconsistent standards enforcement, and insufficient resilience planning appropriate to an island environment. We further assess the role of FirstNet and federal broadband initiatives, identifying gaps between statutory intent and practical implementation. Finally, we present a phased policy roadmap—near-, mid-, and long-term—designed to move Puerto Rico from a cycle of restoration and failure toward a durable, interoperable public safety communications architecture capable of sustaining emergency operations during prolonged isolation.