DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS

Ka ʻOihana ʻĀina Hoʻopulapula Hawaiʻi

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

KALI WATSON

CHAIRPERSON

HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION

DHHL RESPONDS TO THREATS TO DISCONNECT PHONE AND INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDED BY SANDWICH ISLES COMMUNICATIONS

DHHL is working to establish interim service and transition lessees to other providers

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 31, 2024

HONOLULU – Up to 1,500 households on Hawaiian Home Lands are facing a sudden loss of phone and/or internet service provided by Sandwich Isles Communications (SIC). SIC, a private company, announced in an email to customers on May 30 that it would end its service just two days later, on June 1. Affected parties are located throughout the state and include many households in remote communities.

“Reliable phone and internet service is a lifeline for our communities. It is unacceptable that Sandwich Isles Communications is planning to disconnect the services that its customers depend on with so little notice,” said Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke. “We strongly urge Sandwich Isles Communications to transition Hawaiian Home Lands lessees to alternate service providers in an orderly and responsible process.”

SIC’s apparent plans to disconnect service violates the company’s contract with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), which requires SIC to provide reliable service. SIC is also required to continue phone and internet service unless it gives regulators at the FCC and the Hawaiʻi PUC advance notice that it is unable to do so – and receives permission to stop services. DHHL is not aware of any such notifications to these agencies – and is working with these agencies to formulate a response. DHHL will continue to provide updates as the situation unfolds.

SIC has had multiple opportunities to work with DHHL and alternate service providers to keep services on for its customers. Unfortunately, SIC has chosen its current course of action instead. DHHL is working to ensure minimal disruption to affected beneficiaries. SIC is facing foreclosure by the federal government due to nonpayment of a major loan.

In recent days, DHHL started a public campaign urging beneficiaries who receive service from SIC to immediately switch to another provider to avoid losing service. Residential customers should contact alternative service providers to determine if service is available at their address:

SIC Customers outside the service areas for Hawaiian Telcom and Spectrum may wish to consider satellite service providers such as Starlink or Dish.

Additional resources and ongoing updates are available at the department’s Broadband Program webpage at https://dhhl.hawaii.gov/broadband/ including information on:

• Eligibility for government programs offering free and low-cost residential service
• Information for affected businesses on Hawaiian Home Lands

An SIC service outage would also affect DHHL’s phone service. To continue providing help to lessees, the department has established an interim call center for lessees at (808) 570-4883. Lessees may also email [email protected] for assistance.

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About the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands:

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole’s vision of rehabilitating native Hawaiians by returning them to the land. Established by U.S. Congress in 1921 with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, the Hawaiian homesteading program run by DHHL includes management of more than 200,000 acres of land statewide with the specific purpose of developing and delivering homesteading.

 

 

Media Contact:

Diamond Badajos

Information and Community Relations Officer

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

Cell: 808-342-0873

[email protected]