News of the Week

E-Rate for FY 2022:

Wave 4 for FY 2022 was issued on Thursday, May 12, 2022, for $77.7 million.  Cumulative commitments after four waves are $1.42 billion. Nationwide, USAC has funded 75.4% of the FY 2022 applications representing 44.9% of the requested funding.

A special extended application window for new Tribal libraries closes on May 26th (see DA 22-231 and our newsletter of March 14th).

E-Rate for FY 2021:

As of Wave 54 for FY 2021, released May 6th, cumulative commitments stand at $2.63 billion.  Nationwide, USAC has funded 98.7% of the FY 2021 applications representing 95.3% of the requested funding.

ECF for 2021-2023:

As of Wave 14, issued May 5th, total ECF commitments are $4.83 billion.  Nationwide, USAC has funded 93.9% of filed applications.  Authorized disbursements as of last Friday totaled $1.05 billion.

The third ECF application window closed last Friday, May 13th.  We expect that an indication of funding demand will be available later this week.  The FCC indicates that a minimum of $1 billion — our estimate is at least $2 billion — will be available to fund the same type of eligible equipment and services as in the original two windows but for delivery within the 18-month span from July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2023 (albeit capped at 12 months of service for recurring services).  For details, see DA 22-309 and/or our newsletter of March 28th.

Speaking at a meeting of the National Coalition of Technology in Education & Training (“NCTET”) last week, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced a proposal to permit E-rate funds to be used to provide WiFi on school buses.  The proposal, if adopted, would take the form of a Declaratory Ruling — not requiring a formal rulemaking — directing the Wireline Competition Bureau to include WiFi on buses as an eligible service in the Eligible Services List for FY 2023.

For schools and school districts who are funded for WiFi on school buses in the third ECF window, E-rate eligibility in FY 2023 would provide continuity of service from the 2022-2023 school year to the 2023-2024 school year.

The availability of WiFi on school buses is seen by Chairwoman Rosenworcel as an incremental step towards solving the Homework Gap.  It provides major advantages for all students facing long commutes to and from school, sports games, and other school trips.  Additionally, some schools have used WiFi-equipped buses as mobile hotspots by parking them after hours in convenient, but unserved, areas.

A draft of the Declaratory Ruling has been circulated to the other FCC Commissioners.  We expect a consensus approving the Ruling shortly.

Upcoming Dates:

USAC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund Program Newsletter of May 10, 2022, repeated — undoubtably for the last time — a series of FAQs dealing with the filing of applications in the third window that closed last Friday.  For continuity, the Newsletter also repeated the SAM.gov registration reminder for reimbursement purposes.