Wireline Bureau Extends E-rate, RHC Gift Rules Waiver Through Dec. 30

The FCC Wireline Bureau said Thursday it’s extending its gift rules waiver to the Rural Health Care and E-rate programs by three months, to Dec. 31. The original waiver cut-off date was Sept. 30 (see 2003180054). The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, Consortium for School Networking and State Educational Technology Directors Association sought an extension through June 30, citing the pandemic (see 2008050052). “We find good cause to extend” the waiver because of “the ongoing disruptions caused by COVID-19 to program participants and the continued need for robust connectivity,” the bureau ordered. It waived “the RHC deadline for responding to” Universal Service Administrative Com. information requests through Dec. 31. It directed USAC “provide a 30-day extension to E-Rate program participants impacted by the pandemic that request an extension to respond to certain USAC information requests, including those related to Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) requests, issued through December 31.”