[OPLIN 4cast] OPLIN 4cast #393: E-rate reform

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OPLIN 4Cast

OPLIN 4cast #393: E-rate reform
July 9th, 2014

FCC logoOur apologies if you have already heard about this, but this 
news is important enough to bear repeating. This Friday (July 11), the 
Federal Communications Commission will meet and probably come to a 
decision about making some sweeping changes to the E-rate program. FCC 
Chairman Tom Wheeler would like to shift E-rate discounts away from 
supporting outdated technologies - such as pagers and (eventually) plain 
old telephone service - to more current technology needs, particularly 
internal Wi-Fi. Does he have support from the Commissioners to get 
approval for his proposals? We'll find out on Friday.

  * Modernizing E-rate: Providing 21st century Wi-Fi networks for
    schools and libraries across America
    <http://www.fcc.gov/document/modernizing-e-rate-providing-21st-century-wi-fi-schools-libraries-1>
    (Federal Communications Commission) "Modernizing our rules to
    facilitate investment in Wi-Fi would result in a 75 percent increase
    in Wi-Fi funding for rural areas, which have been disproportionately
    shut out by the current system. Under existing rules rural schools
    on average receive 25 percent less Wi-Fi funding for every student,
    and 50 percent less funding for every school, compared to their
    non-rural peers, because the current rules often put them at the
    back of the line."
  * Washington's Wi-Fi Friday: FCC, Senate push for more Wi-Fi in
    schools, more unlicensed airwaves
    <http://gigaom.com/2014/06/20/washingtons-wi-fi-friday-fcc-senate-push-for-more-wi-fi-in-schools-more-unlicensed-airwaves/>
    (GigaOM | Kevin Fitchard) "Wheeler is calling for new rules to the
    government's E-Rate program, which was established 18 years ago to
    bring internet connectivity to schools and libraries. The program
    largely accomplished its mission, delivering broadband access to 94
    percent of U.S. classrooms and 98 percent of public libraries,
    according to the FCC. But when the rules were originally written,
    they didn't anticipate the wireless connections most devices would
    need to make that final hop to the internet."
  * ALA encouraged by FCC Chairman's commitment to a multi-stage E-rate
    reform
    <http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/06/ala-encouraged-fcc-chairmans-commitment-multi-stage-e-rate-reform/>
    (District Dispatch | Marijke Visser) "Mobile internet use in
    libraries is exploding, and this first step by the Chairman to
    address this need is important for the vast number of schools and
    libraries that have not received E-rate support for internal (e.g.,
    Wi-Fi) connections for many years. But this is not enough to meet
    our national needs. The lack of access to affordable, high-capacity
    broadband to the building remains a major challenge for so many
    libraries and schools. Such access must be fully funded for eligible
    applicants, regardless of any new funding models for Wi-Fi services."
  * E-rate reform: A sustainable path forward for school and library
    connectivity
    <http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/210105-e-rate-reform-closing-the-connectivity-gap-in-americas-schools-and>
    (The Hill | Danielle Kehl and Sarah Morris) "Simply put, ubiquitous
    Wi-Fi cannot achieve its promise without a robust wired backbone
    that is scalable to meet future needs. That's why a number of
    stakeholders have recommended that the FCC create a dedicated
    'upgrade fund' to help schools and libraries cover high upfront
    costs associated with capital investments to bring fiber to the
    premises."

*/E-rate workshops:/*

As many of you know, OPLIN and the State Library have sponsored E-rate 
workshops for public libraries, one in the late fall and one in the 
winter, for a number of years now. This year, because of the anticipated 
changes, we are planning to do many more workshops in locations around 
the state and are also looking into improving online delivery of the 
workshops. Watch for details early this fall.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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