viNGN Pursues Pricing Overhaul Amid High Internet Costs

In a comprehensive update to members of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture on the financial status of the V.I. Next Generation Network, CEO Stephan Adams explained that high internet prices in the territory can be blamed on viNGN’s inability to “bring down wholesale pricing.”  The revelation came as Mr. Adams responded to a query from Senator Ray Fonseca about what plans the agency had to reduce broadband prices. “We must bring price reduction to the territory,” Mr. Adams agreed, explaining that viNGN was continuing to explore ways to diversify its revenue streams so that it could “subsidize bringing down prices.” These considerations include introducing cloud storage services, monetizing the WiFi network that is currently being built thanks to ARPA funding, and licensing fiber cables to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) which would allow them to operate “independently of viNGN.” Importantly, viNGN is also conducting a comprehensive pricing review. Accordi...