FCC Seeks Comment on Eligible Services List for E-Rate Program

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the proposed eligible services list (ESL) for the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism (more commonly known as the E-Rate program) for funding year 2020. The Bureau invites stakeholders to comment on any aspect of the proposed FY2020 ESL.

Generally, the FCC is not proposing substantive changes from the FY2019 ESL. However, under the 2014 First E-Rate Order, three Category Two services are currently eligible for support only through FY2019: managed internal broadband services, caching, and basic maintenance of internal connections. Therefore, if the FCC does not act before the adoption of the FY2020 ESL on its proposal in the recent Category Two Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to extend the eligibility of these services, then funding for managed internal broadband services, caching, and basic maintenance of internal connections will only be available to entities still operating under their five-year Category Two budget cycles in FY2020. Accordingly, the proposed FY2020 ESL contains language under the section titled “Eligibility Limitations for Category Two” that explains the conditional eligibility of these services.