FCC Says It Will Double Spending on High-Speed Internet in Schools and Libraries

The Federal Communications Commission will double the amount of money it devotes to adding high-speed Internet connections in schools and libraries over the next two years, in an effort to meet President Obama’s promise to provide broadband service for an estimated 20 million American students in 15,000 schools.

Financing for the new spending will come from restructuring the $2.4 billion E-Rate program, which provides money for “advanced telecommunications and information services” using the proceeds of fees paid by telecommunications users. The proportion that goes to broadband service in schools and libraries will increase to $2 billion a year from $1 billion. The changes will not require any additional taxes or assessments, according to an FCC official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because a formal announcement was being planned. The commission’s chairman, Tom Wheeler, is expected to announce details of the plan on Feb 5 at an event for Digital Learning Day, which promotes the use of technology in education. Most of the redirected spending in 2014 will come from funds left over from previous years. Next year, much of the money will come from changes to the E-Rate program, including the elimination of programs that pay for outdated technologies, like paging services, dial-up Internet connections and email programs that are available free elsewhere. The spending will be used to increase available broadband speeds and provide wireless networks in schools, which are increasingly in demand for students using tablets and laptop computers.