E-rate Commentary

by John Harrington

Permanent Support Needed to Keep Students Connected

The last of the Emergency Connectivity Funds (ECF) will soon be committed. This support was intended to keep students online whenever necessary, regardless of their physical location, and the $8.5...

by John Harrington

School Bus Wi-Fi will Help; Cybersecurity is Required

We know from the annual E-rate Trends Report that Wi-Fi access is essential for K-12 schools and libraries. 99% of them say it is, and 64% of them believe school...

Third ECF Filing Window Deadline Looms

The third Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) filing window opened April 28th and closes Friday, May 13th at 11:59pm EST. Eligible schools and libraries are urged to submit their requests as...

by John Harrington

Groups Unite in Concern Over E-rate Bidding Portal

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is facing a wave of backlash over its proposed federal E-rate bidding portal. Comments about the new system were submitted this week to the FCC,...

by Julie Fitzgerald

Amplifying for the Power of One

Education leaders, state education technology leaders, technology experts and business partners from across the country gathered this year in Nashville for CoSN 2022. CoSN is the Consortium for School Networking,...

by John Harrington

Current Events Demonstrate Importance of Internet Access

Watching Russia attack and invade Ukraine, I am astounded by the impact that instantaneous information is having on the war. Normal, everyday citizens from around the globe are sharing reports,...

by John Harrington

In 2014, FCC Said Not to Upload All E-rate Bids. Why Change Now?

The FCC has proposed a federal takeover of the local E-rate bidding process for internet access and Wi-Fi. The new rules would require all vendor proposals be submitted to USAC...

by John Harrington

February 25, 2022

Federal Agency Plans Takeover of Local Purchasing

At a time in history when online connections are more important than ever, government agencies should be empowering local leaders, not interfering with their decisions. Yet, a federal agency plans...