E-rate Analysis

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 25, 2026

Security Has Moved to the Core of Connectivity

For many applicants, the most significant shift in recent years is not bandwidth. It is security. Connectivity used to mean circuits and access points. Increasingly, it also means monitoring, filtering,...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 19, 2026

Category Two in 2026: Wi-Fi Refresh Is No Longer Optional

If Category One is about access, Category Two is about experience. As the 2026 filing window unfolds, one trend is increasingly clear: Wi-Fi refresh cycles are tightening. Not because districts...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 11, 2026

Category One in 2026: What Patterns Reveal About Bandwidth Planning

As the 2026 filing window progresses, many applicants are making Category One decisions in an environment that feels familiar on the surface, but subtly different underneath. Internet access remains foundational....

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 5, 2026

What Early Form 470 Filings Tell Us About FY2026

One of the simplest ways to take the pulse of an E-rate cycle is to look at Form 470 filings early in the year. By January 31, applicants have usually...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 5, 2026

E-rate in 2026: Stable, Essential, and Under New Pressure

As we move through the 2026 E-rate filing window, one thing remains consistent: E-rate continues to be a cornerstone of connectivity for schools and libraries. Even amid broader uncertainty—economic, political,...

Alfred Njuguna

by Alfred Njuguna

January 21, 2026

First Day Filing Window Trends: Funding Years 2022–2025

The opening day of the filing window is a critical milestone in the funding cycle, often providing early insights into applicant demand and funding needs. This analysis reviews the first...

Alfred Njuguna

by Alfred Njuguna

January 14, 2026

Form 470 Filings: Trends and Forecast for FY2026

As of January 14, 2026, approximately 12,000 Form 470s have been certified for the funding year 2026. Reviewing historical data from Funding Years 2022 through 2026 reveals that FY2025 experienced...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

January 8, 2026

FCC Streamlined E-rate Decisions (Jan 2025): What Schools & Libraries Should Know

The FCC released another batch of “streamlined” E-Rate appeal decisions in early January. These rulings don’t create new policy, but they do reinforce something important: the FCC is still drawing...