The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said it has received requests for USD 5.137 billion to fund 9.1 million connected devices and 5.4 million broadband connections, as part of the USD 7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund Program announced late last year. In view of the strong demand and recent spike in coronavirus cases, the FCC will open a second application filing window. The money will go to schools and libraries which request funding for connected devices and broadband connections for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons, for the current 2021-22 school year.
The first filing window, which closed on 13 August, attracted applications from all 50 states, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, including schools and libraries in both rural and urban communities seeking funding for eligible equipment and services received or delivered between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022.
The second application filing window will run from 28 September to 13 October. The funding is available for the purchase of laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connections for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons in need, for the support off-campus learning, such as homework, even if schools have returned to full time in-person instruction.
