If you’ve been following the FCC’s review of how USAC runs the Universal Service Fund, here’s the update: the official notice was published in the Federal Register on August 31, 2026, which starts the clock on when public comments are due.
That means the comment clock is now running:
- Initial comments due: September 30, 2026
- Reply comments due: October 30, 2026 (these are responses to what others have submitted)
- Docket number: 26-173
If you want to submit a comment yourself, you can file on the FCC’s website.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) covers a wide range of questions about how USAC administers all four Universal Service programs, E-rate among them. Not sure what any of this means for your district or library? Funds For Learning Guide Verlyne Jolley broke down exactly how these questions could affect E-rate applicants in this summary.
The USAC administration NPRM is the latest action in the FCC’s comprehensive review of the Universal Service program as a whole.
It’s been a busy summer for E-rate news. Catch up with Funds For Learning Guide Audra Thayer, as she provides a walk-through of the E-rate dockets, at the September 10, 2026, My E-rate Guides webinar. Sign up here for next week’s session.
About the Author: Brian Stephens has spent more than 15 years in the E-rate program, working with the full range of applicants and service providers. As an E-rate Guide at Funds For Learning, he’s known for making complicated rules make sense and giving participants a practical path forward. Based in Oklahoma City, Brian spends his time away from E-rate cooking up some amazing meals.
