Improving the E-rate as Part of National Broadband Plan

In comments to the Federal Communications Commission on the role of broadband in education, a number of groups offered suggestions on how to improve the E-Rate program. The State E-rate Coordinators' Alliance said the National Broadband Plan should include broadband goals for K-12 education and libraries.

National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors urged the FCC to broaden the scope of the E-Rate program to allow local anchor institution networks that provide broadband facilities to schools and libraries to obtain reimbursement. Such a change, NATOA says, would promote the deployment of broadband networks throughout local communities, making a wide range of services available to all members of the affected communities. NATOA believes that the FCC could authorize such a change without the need for statutory amendment.

The Education and Libraries Networks Coalition (EdLiNC), a group comprised of the leading public and private education associations and the American Library Association, argues that the FCC should not contravene Congressional intent that the E-Rate exist as a telecommunications and information services program with eligibility restricted to K-12 public and private schools and public libraries. EdLiNC says there should be no expansion to of the program to include ineligible, non-connectivity services, such as computers and training. University of Alaska Professor Heather Hudson, too, says funding pressure prohibits expanding support to training, technical support, and content.

EdLiNC urges the Commission to raise the E-Rate program's annual cap. But Hudson counters that there should be no increase if supported just by surcharges on telephone bills. Hudson writes that given the limited support for schools and libraries that are not eligible for significant discounts, it could be argued that funding should be available only to those that are clearly disadvantaged, e.g. eligible for discounts of 60 percent (or possibly 70 percent) or more. Allocations to other applicants could be gradually phased out. Alternatively, the discount percentages could be reviewed and possibly decreased. Do discounts of 80 percent or 90 percent provide sufficient incentives to schools and libraries to find additional sources of funding, or to be prudent and efficient in their utilization of ICT facilities and services? The FCC should commission studies to determine to what extent E-Rate funding has contributed to extending infrastructure in Alaska, on Indian reservations, and in other previously unserved areas. It should also examine how E-Rate support can complement federal ICT infrastructure initiatives such as NTIA's BTOP program and rural infrastructure grants and loans through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

A number of commenters say the E-Rate program rules could be modified to provide additional opportunities for broadband access to communities such as use of E-Rate supported services in schools by community members during non-school hours.