FCC’s Historic Hotspot Initiative Aims to Close the Homework Gap

At the July Federal Communications Commission Open Meeting, the FCC approved, on a 3-2 vote, an order to make Wi-Fi hotspots and Internet services eligible for E-rate program support for libraries and K-12 schools. This historic decision adopts a SHLB Coalition recommendation we and others proposed over three years ago. The proposed order allows schools and libraries to apply for E-rate funds to help offset the costs of purchasing Wi-Fi hotspots and Internet services to loan to students, school staff, and library patrons for off-premises internet use. In doing so, it also establishes parameters to safeguard the spending of limited E-rate funds, including: 

• device and service reimbursement caps, 
• a three-year budget mechanism to limit overall applicant funding requests, and 
• long-standing program requirements like competitive bidding and filtering.