On February 6, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission released a Report & Order reforming and modernizing the Lifeline and Link Up Universal Service Fund (USF) programs. In the same Order, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on the best way to advance digital literacy through existing USF support programs. The National Broadband Plan acknowledges that digital literacy is an “evolving concept” and defines digital literacy as generally referring to “a variety of skills associated with using information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and communicate information.”
In the NPRM, the FCC is investigating the possibility of adding digital literacy training to the E-rate program’s Eligible Services List, or possibly re-allocating a portion of the funds set aside for E-rate into a separate digital literacy USF program. The NPRM may be downloaded by clicking here.
The deadline for comments on the NPRM will be 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
The reply comment deadline will 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
