Mobi PCS Coverage Map

Mobi PCS has upgraded their cell network on the Kona side:

Honolulu-based Mobi PCS has activated a new cell site in Holualoa, on the Kona side of the Big Island, to enhance its 3G voice and Hele Wireless Broadband networks in the area.

The addition boosts in-building and street coverage throughout residential areas of Holualoa, including the Kilohana, Komohana, Iolani and Kahakai Estates subdivisions, and is one of nearly 20 new cell sites the company has deployed this year.

Source: Star Bulletin

Bizjournals has an article posted about Young Brothers, the largest inter-island barge company, increasing their rates for shipping.   Obviously, the costs will be passed onto the consumer, leading to more expensive goods and services that rely on materials transported by barge.

Young Brothers, Hawaii’s largest barge company, will increase its rates for interisland cargo services starting Aug. 1.

The overall increase amounts to an average 13.46 percent hike for its different service rates.

It breaks down to a 9.66 percent increase for container cargo, a 9.22 percent increase for automobiles, and a 21.26 percent increase for what the company refers to as less-than-container-load cargo.

The increase was approved Tuesday by the state Public Utilities Commission, which reduced Young Brothers’ original request in December for an average rate increase of 17.9 percent.

The company said the higher rates will be used to cover the costs of maintaining its vessels, buying cargo equipment, and keeping a regular sailing schedule despite lower volumes.

Young Brothers said it saw a 9.6 percent decrease in interisland cargo volumes in 2008 and projects an additional 11 percent decline this year.

The company, which has 12 weekly sailings, provides cargo service throughout the state with ports in Honolulu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Hilo and Kawaihae on the Big Island, and Nawiliwili on Kauai.

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Kauai County Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr., and Hawaii County Mayor William “Billy” P. Kenoi sing an acapella version of Ka Leo O Ka Manu on an interisland flight from Hilo to Honolulu.

Dont quit your day jobs!

Despite steep discounting and unprecedented incentives, hotel occupancy in Hawaii continues to slide to new lows because of the slowed global economy, especially on the Big Island where only half of rooms were booked in May, according to a report released Monday.

Hotel occupancy fell 6.9 percentage points to 62 percent in May, marking the worst May on record since Honolulu-based Hospitality Advisors LLC began its monthly survey in 1987.

It’s unlikely Hawaii will see any sign of recovery until well into 2010 with room revenues continuing to lag the prior year by over 20 percent, said Joseph Toy, president and chief executive of Hospitality Advisors. May results reflected a continuation of the record hotel market lows since the start of the year, he said…

Every island saw sharp declines, with bookings on the Big Island plummeting 8.2 percentage points to a statewide low of 49.3 percent…

Read Full Article at MSNBC.com