[OPLIN 4cast] OPLIN 4Cast #198: the Sixth Order

[Editor]

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. 
<http://www.oplin.org/4cast/>
OPLIN 4Cast

OPLIN 4Cast #198: the Sixth Order
October 6th, 2010

FCC 6 
<http://www.oplin.org/4cast/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/fcc6.gif>While 
the "Sixth Order" might sound like the name of a larping 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_action_role-playing_game> 
group, the Order we're highlighting in this week's /4cast/ 
is the Federal Communication Commission's Sixth Report and 
Order (FCC 10-175 
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10-175A1.pdf>) 
that was released on September 28. For libraries that 
participate in E-Rate, this Order created some buzz because 
it includes the ability to E-Rate "dark fiber" for the first 
time. But closer review reveals many other changes that may 
significantly change the upcoming E-Rate process for 
libraries. We strongly encourage libraries that E-Rate 
anything more than Plain Old Telephone Service---POTS---to 
register for one of the Form 470 workshops 
<http://library.ohio.gov/search/node/e-rate> that OPLIN and 
the State Library are sponsoring at locations around the 
state on November 8. Meanwhile, we recommend the following 
reports on the Sixth Order:

    * USAC's Schools and Libraries News Brief
      <http://www.usac.org/sl/tools/news-briefs/preview.aspx?id=322>
      regarding Technology Plans: "New requirements apply
      for FY2011 and beyond; no longer required for Priority
      One (Telecom and Internet Access); still required for
      Priority Two services (Internal Connections and Basic
      Maintenance of Internal Connections)."
    * E-Rate Central News
      <http://www.e-ratecentral.com/archive/News/News2010/weekly_news_2010_1004.asp>
      regarding the Form 470: "A new and simpler version of
      the Form 470 is expected to be available, probably in
      November. The current version of the Form 470 can be
      filed now. Once the new version is made available it
      must be used. The transition from the current version
      to the new version will be a flash cut (i.e., there
      will be no period in which both versions will be
      accepted)."
    * Funds For Learning
      <http://www.fundsforlearning.com/news/2010/09/fcc-releases-further-detail-sixth-report-and-order>
      regarding dark fiber: "The biggest change to the
      Eligible Services List (ESL) for FY2011 is the
      addition of 'Dark Fiber' to the eligible services for
      Priority One. Dark fiber may now be purchased from any
      E-rate service provider (vendors need not be
      telecommunications carriers), and the applicant must
      light the fiber immediately. While installation and
      maintenance of dark fiber will be eligible, any
      subsequent special construction will not be eligible
      for E-rate discounts."
    * On-Tech E-Rate Musings
      <http://blog.on-tech.com/2010/10/my-head-is-spinning.html>
      regarding new restrictions on SPIN changes: "But most
      SPIN changes are not abuse. They are applicants who
      got a better deal on, say, long distance and want to
      switch providers. So now if a school district finds an
      opportunity to save money on their month-to-month
      phone service, they have to wait until they can file a
      Form 470, wait 28 days for no bids to arrive, then
      make the switch. For a lot of applicants, it won't be
      worth the hassle, so they'll forego the savings
      opportunity."

*/Welcome Fact:/*

The American Library Association welcomed 
<http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=5295> one change 
resulting from the Sixth Order: the FCC will now 
inflation-adjust the amount of funds available annually for 
the E-Rate program.
------------------------------------------------------------
The */OPLIN 4cast/* is a weekly compilation of recent 
headlines, topics, and trends that could impact public 
libraries. You can subscribe to it in a variety of ways, 
such as:

    * *RSS feed.* You can receive the OPLIN 4cast via RSS
      feed by subscribing to the following URL:
      http://www.oplin.org/4cast/index.php/?feed=rss2.
    * *Live Bookmark.* If you're using the Firefox web
      browser, you can go to the 4cast website
      (http://www.oplin.org/4cast/) and click on the orange
      "radio wave" icon on the right side of the address
      bar. In Internet Explorer 7, click on the same icon to
      view or subscribe to the 4cast RSS feed.
    * *E-mail.* You can have the OPLIN 4cast delivered via
      e-mail (a'la OPLINlist and OPLINtech) by subscribing
      to the 4cast mailing list at
      http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/OPLIN4cast.


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.oplin.org/pipermail/oplin4cast/attachments/20101006/fb6d878e/attachment-0001.html
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: kubrickheader.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 38379 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mail.oplin.org/pipermail/oplin4cast/attachments/20101006/fb6d878e/kubrickheader-0001.jpg
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: fcc6.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 4165 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mail.oplin.org/pipermail/oplin4cast/attachments/20101006/fb6d878e/fcc6-0001.gif