SHLB Expresses Concern With USAC Request for Information on Special Construction Costs for Fiber Installation

The Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition filed a letter on April 27, 2017 to express concern with the recent set of inquiries sent by Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to over 100 E-rate applicants seeking support for special construction costs for fiber installation. SHLB said the questions ask for information irrelevant to determining whether an application meets E-rate requirements and suggests new limitations on funding that were not contained in the 2014 E-rate Modernization Orders, the Federal Communications Commission’s rules or USAC’s training materials. SHLB encouraged the FCC and USAC to maintain the existing policies adopted in 2014 that promote competition and cost-effective fiber options for schools and libraries.