In today’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) open meeting, the commission voted narrowly (3-2) to expand the Universal Service Fund (USF) Schools and Libraries program — also known as the E-Rate program — to support Wi-Fi hotspot “lending.”
The result of the vote is that E-rate resources will be available for schools and libraries to lend Wi-Fi hotspots to students and library users for educational purposes.
This change to the program is modeled on and largely reinstates the COVID-era Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) program, which was administered by the FCC via schools and libraries.
Commissioners were split on the E-rate program change:
- Commissioner Brendan Carr argued against the E-rate program change, saying that the FCC was overstepping its authority, and the proposed action was based on an “erroneous reading of section 254.”
- Commissioner Nathan Simington agreed with Commissioner Carr — that the FCC did not have the authority to move forward — and added that “the Wi-Fi hotspots will reduce incentives to physically show up to class.”
- Commissioner Geoffrey Starks spoke in favor, describing the COVID-era ECF program as a “test run” for the FCC’s E-rate program change.
- Commissioner Anna M. Gomez also supported the E-rate program change, saying, “This is especially critical now that we have had to halt our nation’s most successful affordability program — the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program — due to the lack of congressional funding.”
- Finally, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel voted in favor, saying, “I believe every library and every school library in this country should be able to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots to help keep their patrons and kids connected.”
The E-rate program change passed by a 3-2 margin.
The FCC has been considering the program change for more than a year, since Chairwoman Rosenworcel first proposed the change. Rural broadband providers pushed back early this year, when NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association also spoke against the change.
