Bulletins

Joint comments of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and State E-Rate Coordinators' Alliance (SECA) to the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to the Request for Comment on FCC Form 470 and 471 Information Collection Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (83 FR 23677).

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, invites comment on the implementation of certain provisions of its pilot broadband program (e-Connectivity Pilot) established on March 23, 2018, in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018. The e-Connectivity Pilot was appropriated $600 million in budget authority to be operated under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 on an expedited basis. Loans and grants are limited to the costs of the construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment for broadband service in eligible communities.

Pursuant to our procedure for resolving requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) that are consistent with precedent (collectively, Requests), the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants, dismisses, or denies the following Requests. The deadline for filing petitions for reconsideration or applications for review concerning the disposition of any of these Requests is 30 days from release of this Public Notice.

This chart may be useful in planning for various E-rate filings. Last updated June 2018.

In this Public Notice, the Office of Managing Director (OMD) announces that the proposed universal service contribution factor for the third quarter of 2018 will be 0.179 or 17.9 percent.

Petition of NTCA—The Rural Broadband Association and the United States Telecom Association for Forbearance Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 160(c) from Application of Contribution Obligations on Broadband Internet Access Transmission Services

The State E-Rate Coordinators’ Alliance (“SECA”) submits these Comments in response to the FCC’s Notice of Public Rulemaking (“NPRM”) released April 18, 2018 (WC Docket 18-89; FCC 18-42) seeking comment on rules to restrict Universal Service Fund (“USF”) payments to any equipment and/or service providers deemed to be posing a national security risk to U.S. communications networks or supply chains. These Comments address those NPRM concerns most directly related to E-rate applicant issues

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) introduced a bill to put wireless internet on school buses in order to help students without broadband access at home get online to study and do homework. The legislation would allow the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) E-Rate program to reimburse schools that place wi-fi technology on school buses carrying students to school or school related extracurricular activities.

Pursuant to our procedure for resolving requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) that are consistent with precedent (collectively, Requests), the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants, dismisses, or denies the following Requests. The deadline for filing petitions for reconsideration or applications for review concerning the disposition of any of these Requests is 30 days from release of this Public Notice.