The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that the agency will invest an additional USD 2 billion over the next two years to support broadband networks in United States' schools and libraries. This represents a doubling of investment in broadband and will connect 20 million students in at least 15,000 schools to broadband access. Funding for new investments in broadband will come from reprioritising existing E-Rate funds to focus on high-capacity internet connectivity, increasing efficiency and modernising management of the E-Rate programme.
Established in 1996, E-Rate provides USD billion to schools and libraries annually for communications services. The additional support will be targeted to address the most urgent internet upgrade needs of schools and libraries. In summer 2013, the Commission began a proceeding to explore ways to modernise the E-Rate programme. The new investment in broadband will be one element of a comprehensive approach to modernising E-Rate.
The FCC will also streamline the application process, increase transparency and provide more assistance to schools and libraries to help lower the prices they pay. In addition, the FCC will ramp up oversight and enforcement within the programme to ensure every dollar that is intended to reach a school or library gets there. The E-Rate programme is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company under the direction of the FCC.
