FCC moves to double broadband funds

Existing funds would support call for more broadband access

broadband-fccFederal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler is expected to announce on Wednesday a move to double broadband funding to schools and libraries.

The $1 billion increase comes from existing eRate funds and will push eRate program funds for broadband grants to $2 billion.

In a recent blog post, Wheeler noted that the FCC is poised to boost eRate funding, adding that a detailed plan is forthcoming.…Read More

Time to ask for more eRate funding

If educators contact the FCC in large numbers, we might be able to more than double the annual funding available for the eRate.

eRate-funding
“Why do we have faster internet access at the local coffee shop than in the average classroom? Let’s change that situation.”

This fall, the new school year arrives with exceptional promise, as it brings a rare opportunity to increase funding for the eRate—the only federal program focused on K-12 education technology.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a rulemaking process to examine the eRate’s structure, the services it supports, and the adequacy of its funding. Educators need to speak up—and loudly—to make the case that our classrooms need greater eRate support to meet 21st-century needs.

If America’s educators contact the FCC in large numbers, we might be able to more than double annual eRate funding and greatly expand the number of classrooms with high-speed internet access.…Read More