Access: “FCC to Double Funding for Broadband Capacity in U.S. Schools and Libraries”

A report (more than 1300 words) from Bloomberg BNA’s Telecommunications Law Resource Center about the FCC broadband announcement made earlier this week by the FCC.
From the Report:

Over the next two years, the FCC aims to restructure the E-Rate program, also known as the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism, to distribute $2 billion per year to subsidize greater broadband capacity for U.S. schools and libraries, an agency spokesman confirmed Feb. 3. The 1996 Telecommunications Act directed U.S. telecommunications providers to contribute to the Universal Service Fund (USF) in the form of fees that would subsidize the deployment of broadband infrastructure to American schools and libraries.
The commission plans to distribute unallocated E-Rate funds for a one-time funding boost and reprioritize existing E-Rate funds to focus on high-capacity Internet connectivity, increase efficiency and modernize management of the program, it said. The FCC also plans to streamline the application process for schools, increase transparency and strengthen oversight and enforcement within the program. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is expected to detail his proposed changes to the program on Feb. 5 at a digital learning day event hosted by the Library of Congress.

Read the Full Text Report
infoDOCKET has more on this announcement including video and comment from ALA in these posts:

• FCC Chairman Talks About Schools, Libraries, and E-Rate During National Digital Learning Day Speech
  Includes full text of speech.
• FCC Will Increase Investment In Broadband For Schools, Libraries by $2 Billion Over 2 Years

See Also: FCC: The time is now to speed library broadband connections
A blog post by ALA’s Larra Clark.

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Funding, Libraries, Management and Leadership, News