Washington, DC (March 4, 2021) – Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously voted to adopt a Report and Order that establishes and implements a $3.2 billion federal digital inclusion program that provides qualifying households discounts on their internet service bills and an opportunity to receive a discount on a computer or tablet. The temporary Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) …
POLICY BRIEF: Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Announces Phase 1 winners
This week, the FCC announced the winners of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I Auction, where 180 bidders won in 49 states and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The funding will serve 5.2 million unserved homes and businesses, with 99.7% of the locations receiving speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps coverage. The FCC also said, in a …
Policy Brief: FCC Tackles 5G Funding & TV White Spaces
Just before the final votes were cast in the 2020 election, the FCC held its Open Meeting on October 27 with a full agenda, tackling some of Chairman Ajit Pai’s priority items. Two such items will mean significant upgrades to connectivity in rural America as commissioners on both sides of the political aisle are committed to expanding funding and opportunities …
Policy Brief: FCC Announces Special E-rate Filing Window for School District Bandwidth Upgrades
On September 16, acknowledging the disruptions caused by COVID-19 and the new reliance on remote learning by school districts, the FCC directed the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to open a second E-rate filing window for Funding Year 2020 (FY2020). The window opened Monday, September 21 and will close on Friday, October 16 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. This new window …
Policy Brief: FCC Extends E-Rate Deadlines Due to COVID-19
Washington, DC (April 2, 2020) – Yesterday, the FCC voted to adopt an Order extending E-Rate Program deadlines in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on schools and libraries across the country. The FCC stated that “to provide relief to E-Rate program participants affected by this unprecedented national pandemic, we temporarily waive and extend several E-Rate filing and …
