[OPLINLIST] FW: [alacro-l] ALA Responds to FCC Call for Comments on Broadband, E-Rate

[Hickson-Stevenson, Pamela]

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From: Michael Dowling [mailto:mdowling at ala.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2009 12:35 PM
To: ALACRO-L
Subject: [alacro-l] ALA Responds to FCC Call for Comments on Broadband,
E-Rate

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Library Association (ALA) submitted a
response
<http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/E-Rat
e-comments.pdf>  to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) call
for comments
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2376A1.pdf>  on
broadband needs in education including changes to the E-rate program to
improve broadband deployment.

The E-rate program is nearing the day when it won't be able to fund all
of the most urgent (Priority One) requests, much less other important
requests. This financial shortfall is not surprising because the E-rate
program is currently capped at $2.25 billion per year, unchanged from
the level at the program's inception in 1997.

ALA urges the FCC to increase the cap to compensate for inflation and to
provide full support for current library and school needs within the
original intent of the program - universal access to advanced
telecommunications and information services.

"Until the E-rate cap is increased to meet existing needs, the FCC
should not consider expanding the type of entities or services eligible
for support," said Dr. Alan Inouye, director of ALA's Office for
Information Technology Policy (OITP).

Maintaining the flexibility of the current E-rate program is essential
to meeting the needs of local libraries and schools. The E-rate program
is already designed to accommodate evolving emphases and technologies -
prospective beneficiaries need only to submit applications. Fundamental
change in the program is unnecessary.

"However, what does need to be changed are the application and
disbursement processes, which are mind-boggling in their complexity and
detail," Inouye said.

ALA reaffirms its past support for simplifying the application and
disbursement processes, which are major deterrents to libraries in
applying for E-rate discounts.

Finally, the FCC should consider actions to require service providers to
connect their networks to schools and libraries at speeds that support
access to advanced services, as authorized under the Telecommunications
Act of 1996.  Since advanced services to schools and libraries are not
universally available 12 years after enactment of the Act, ALA concludes
that targeted, proactive actions should now be undertaken and included
as an integral component of the National Broadband Plan.

###

 

Contact: Jenni Terry <mailto:jterry at alawash.org> 
Press Officer
ALA Washington Office
202-628-8410

 

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