FCC votes to expand E-rate program to include hotspots

Libraries and schools can now apply for E-rate discounts to purchase Wi-Fi hotspots

Photo by Giovanni Gagliardi on Unsplash

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has some great news! They just voted to expand the E-rate program to include funding for Wi-Fi hotspots, which means libraries and schools can now get millions of dollars in discounts every year to buy hotspots for lending. This is a big deal because the E-rate program, set up in 1996, previously only covered telecommunications and internet services for schools and libraries, but not hardware or broadband devices that could be used for home use. With this new expansion of the E-rate program, libraries and schools can apply for discounts to purchase Wi-Fi hotspots that can be lent to residents lacking internet access at home.

Libraries have always been a go-to spot for internet access, helping students with their homework, job seekers with resources, and families with all kinds of services. During the pandemic, lending hotspots became a highly used library service, with over a thousand libraries using more than $248 million from the FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) to support broadband access in their communities. The 2023 Public Library Technology Survey from the Public Library Association shows that almost half of responding libraries (46.9%) now offer hotspots for checkout, a large increase from 2020.  The ECF program was recently discontinued in June 2024.

This new expansion of the E-rate program is set to keep things going and make sure no one is left without internet. In North Carolina alone, over 60 libraries are using E-rate, making a big difference in closing the digital divide and keeping communities connected. Many libraries are stepping up with digital literacy training and other initiatives to help everyone get online and stay connected. 

Check out these other resources to learn more:

• Recorded webinar: The E-rate Hotspot Opportunity

• FCC Approves Final Rules to Support Wi-Fi Hotspots Through E-Rate Program

• ALA praises FCC vote to make Wi-Fi hotspots eligible for E-rate funding 

  E-Rate - Schools & Libraries USF Program 

• FCC Fact Sheet 

Update

Some of you may have heard the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recent ruling on the FCC’s E-rate program. We are keeping track of the developments and what this could mean for E-rate in the future. As of now the E-rate program is expected to operate as usual as the appeals process moves through the court system.  

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