The FCC’s recent Hurricane Relief Order reset the Category Two (C2) budgets for school and library sites in hurricane-impacted areas. This allows these sites to apply for C2 discounts in FY2017 (second window), FY2018 and/or FY2019, regardless of whether they had previously received C2 discounts. Of the nearly 9,000 sites impacted by this decision, 7,135 had previously utilized C2 funds totaling $313,524,787. The FCC’s Order effectively zeroes out these expenditures and allows all 7,135 sites to reapply should they have the need.
The Hurricane Relief Order also set the C2 discount rate at 85% for all impacted sites, regardless of their original C2 discount rate. This increases the discount rate at 4,294 sites. The net effect of this changes is an additional $62.8 million in potential C2 discounts for hurricane impacted communities.
Category Two refers to on-campus computer network infrastructure, such as wireless access points, network switches, and data cabling. C2 discounts can be used for the purchase, maintenance, and/or use of this infrastructure.
