The FCC has released its plan for conducting rulemaking proceedings related to implementing the National Broadband Plan. Included in the “Action Agenda” are items related to both Notices of Proposed Rulemaking and Orders which will impact the E-rate program.
According to the plan, the FCC will release a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the second quarter of 2010 (April – June, 2010) which will focus on E-rate reforms and funding cap adjustments which may go into effect for E-rate Funding Year 2011. These rules may be implemented in Orders in the third or fourth quarter of 2010:
To cut red tape and make broadband more accessible, in Q2 2010 [the FCC will] propose rules reforming the E-rate program and indexing the E-rate funding cap to inflation for funding year 2011 (July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012). In Q3 or early Q4 2010 adopt rules to implement reforms proposed in Q2, benefiting students across the country.
Then in the first quarter of 2011, the FCC is planning to proposed further rules “…further reforming the E-rate program for funding year 2012 (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013).”
