On April 6, the non-profit Internet Service Provider (ISP), Love City Community Network (LCCN), has agreed with the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (viNGN) to end its disaster relief Internet services on St. John on May 7. As agreed by all parties, the LCCN network will be completely deactivated and placed in a stand-by, non-active mode in the event of another natural disaster in the future.
After Hurricane Irma, the non-governmental organization (NGO), called HELP.NGO, made a legal short-term business agreement with viNGN to provide free and temporary broadband bandwidth to St. John. This temporary agreement allowed public Wi-Fi for St. John citizens in response to the emergency disaster and allowed the local V.I. ISPs to restore their secure Internet networks.
The HELP.NGO and viNGN temporary agreement ended on Feb. 8, whereupon the non-profit organization LCCN inherited HELP.NGO’s temporary disaster relief mission. To further help LCCN with its St. John mission, viNGN never charged LCCN for broadband bandwidth.
In summary, St. John citizens using LCCN’s Internet on the VINGN network will have until May 7, to contact one of the local V.I. ISPs to schedule a business or home Internet device installation.
After May 7, the LCCN network will be completely deactivated and placed in stand-by non-active mode in the event of another natural disaster in the future.
For home or business Internet installation, a listing of local ISPs are located at www.vingn.com/isp-partners.
Disclosure Statement: Internet Public Safety Announcement
Using free public networks and Wi-Fi hotspots increases the Internet user’s probability of being subject to computer viruses, threats and illegal activities. Specifically, the exposure of personal identifiable information (PII) such as credit card numbers, bank account information, health records, passwords, biometric data, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers and social security numbers across public networks and Wi-Fi hotspots is a serious risk to Internet users if they reveal PII.
Many Internet users are not aware that free Internet networks are unsecure and expose PII. When using free Internet at airports, viNGN’s Wi-Fi hotspots, LCCN’s public network or a hotel, users of these free Internet services should refrain from processing credit cards or exposing any personal identifiable information over these unsecured networks.
