On December 17, 2021, the Federal Communications Commission released the final Eligible Services List (ESL) for Funding Year 2022. While the Commission added a clarification regarding software licenses for Category Two equipment and a statement about equipment manufacturers on the FCC’s supply chain “covered list,” the FY2022 ESL contains no substantive changes to product or service eligibility. The FCC also waived its requirement that the Eligible Services List be available at least 60 days prior to the opening of the annual application filing window.
In the FY2022 ESL Order, the Commission recognized commenters requesting that school bus Wi-Fi services, noting that they “plan to leverage [their] experience funding Wi-Fi hotspots on buses and bookmobiles through the Emergency Connectivity Fund to more fully explore how such equipment and services could be eligible for E-Rate support in the future.”
The FCC also addressed comments requesting that additional cybersecurity functionality be added to the ESL, referencing the K-12 Cybersecurity Act of 2021 and their belief that the “legislation and the forthcoming report will provide valuable insights into what cybersecurity services will be most impactful for K-12 educational institutions.”
The FY2022 ESL Order may be found here.
