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February 21, 2014

T minus 33 days and Counting

The FY2014 E-rate filing window is scheduled to close on March 26, 2014. Applicants have another 33 days to submit their funding applications. Even though most applications have not yet...

by John Harrington

February 14, 2014

Unlimited funding for Internet Access? Sign me up!

Unlimited funding for Internet access and certain telecommunications services is being promoted by some within the education community as the solution to reforming the E-rate program. I admit that "no...

February 14, 2014

Service Providers Begin to Receive PQA Requests

The SLD has recently started sending Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) notices to E-rate service providers. While the PQA Program had historically been for the applicant community, now service providers are...

February 14, 2014

Average E-rate Discount Rate Up 8% since 1998

Analysis by Funds For Learning indicates that the average discount rate of schools seeking E-rate discounts has increased about 8% points since the program began. Based on Priority 1 funding...

February 7, 2014

USAC Board Makes Recommendation to Deny All FY 2013 Priority Two Applications

On February 7, 2014, the USAC Schools and Libraries Committee recommended that no priority two Form 471 applications be approved. It typically takes the FCC a few weeks to approve...

February 7, 2014

USAC Service Provider Call Notes – February 2014

USAC's Schools and Libraries Division hosts monthly service provider conference calls, providing information and guidance for vendors participating in the E-rate program. Highlights from February 6, 2014 service provider call...

February 6, 2014

Demand for High-Speed Broadband Growing

Growth in Priority 1 discounts is being driven by demand for broadband telecommunications and Internet access services. A review of Form 470 solicitations posted by E-rate applicants from FY2009 to...

February 5, 2014

FCC Announced $2 Billion in Additional E-rate Investment

The FCC announced that they will increase E-rate support for broadband networks by $2 billion over the next two years. The FCC stated that "funding for new investments in high-speed...