In its quarterly report to the Federal Communications Commission, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) continues to report that approximately $1 billion in unused funds from previous Funding Years could be used to supplement current and future requests for E-rate discounts.  Based on the FCC's Third Report and Order, the FCC can direct USAC to apply unused funds increase the amount of available funding for a funding year.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released a report which identifies the E-rate program's key trends in demand, participation rates among eligible entities, and assessed the FCC's goals and program performance measures.  The GAO's research for this report began in July 2007 and culminates in the report's release.  The GAO talked with stakeholders, analyzed program data, and conducted an E-rate survey of program beneficiaries.

In its latest News Brief, USAC provides additional clarification regarding the eligibility of web hosting services for E-rate discounts.  In order for hosting services to qualify for funding, USAC requires applicants to have "control" over the hosted website.

The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) announced today that it will issue the first funding wave for the upcoming 2009 Funding Year on April 28.

USAC issued wave 047 for FY 2008 on April 14, which includes a total of $17.45 million in commitments and $4.44 million in reductions or rejections. As with the past few funding waves, the majority of commitments have been dedicated to the priority two funding categories of Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance.

The FCC released appeal decisions affecting 70 applications from 1999 through 2008 involving the E-rate competitive bidding and procurement regulations.  The FCC granted 39 and denied 31 appeals and they estimate that the appeals granted involve approximately $6.7 million.  The SLD has 120 days to review and issue a funding commitment decision letter for the appeals that were granted.

Funds For Learning, the nation's leading E-rate funding compliance services firm, announces the launch of the Second Annual National E-rate Survey.  The survey will assess applicants' attitudes and opinions about the E-rate program, and identify its key strengths and challenges.

The SLD has announced that it now considers intranet web hosting as eligible for E-rate discounts, beginning with FY 2009 applications. As part of this change in E-rate eligibility, USAC announced a procedure for applicants and service providers to amend their web hosting funding requests to include 'intranet or password-protected webpages.'

On March 31st USAC submitted their Semi-Annual Audit Report to the FCC for their review.   Based on the FCC's Schools and Libraries Fifth Order the report must summarize the status of all outstanding audit reports. 

USAC released its annual report to the Federal Communications Commission and Congress which details their activities, expenses and spotlights various performance measures.