E-Rate Groups Seek More Cybersecurity Investments, Program Revisions

E-rate advocates sought more emphasis on cybersecurity in the program, during a Schools, Health, & Libraries Broadband Coalition event Thursday. Delivering internet connections is “an ongoing challenge” for E-rate participants, said Funds for Learning CEO John Harrington, and most identified cybersecurity as a cost that should be part of the program’s eligible services list. Whether it should be listed under category 1 or category 2 “is a debate that I would love for us to be having,” he said. “We should never take for granted that there’s a program that provides support” for more than 132,000 schools and libraries, Harrington said, saying there are also some “real practical limitations” to implementing the FCC’s proposed central bidding portal for the E-rate program (see 2204280051).

The FCC is "continuing to pay attention to the program” and address the homework gap, said Priscilla Delgado Argeris, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s chief legal adviser. It's “a major challenge if we aren’t getting internet funding to schools,” said Justin Faulb, Commissioner Geoffrey Starks’ wireline adviser, noting there has also been a desire from industry to address pole attachment issues affecting deployment.

SHLB Executive Director John Windhausen noted a declaratory ruling has been in circulation since May that would address Wi-Fi on school buses (see 2205110059). Faulb said Starks has already voted to approve the item. “It just seems like a commonsense idea” after some Emergency Connectivity Fund participants used funding to deploy Wi-Fi on school buses, Argeris said. The FCC is also “actively working on” whether changes can be made to the rural healthcare program following the several COVID-19 pandemic-related telehealth programs, she said.

NTIA expects to make its funding allocations for the broadband, equity, access and deployment program during the first half of 2023, said Telecom Policy Specialist Nick Alexander. The decisions will be based on the FCC’s new maps that show unserved locations and unserved high-cost locations in any given jurisdiction, Alexander said. FCC Broadband Data Task Force Senior Counsel Kirk Burgee said the first iteration of the maps will be available this fall and encouraged entities to “vigorously” participate in the broadband serviceable location fabric challenge (see 2209140066).

"We have every interest in the program succeeding," said NTIA Technical Assistance Adviser Scott Lively, noting the agency has received more than 200 applications for the middle-mile infrastructure program, which is directly administered by NTIA, unlike BEAD. “The faster we can get accurate data the better,” said Veneeth Iyengar, Louisiana Office of Broadband Development & Connectivity executive director: “We’re going to fast track trying to get that data as soon as possible.” Iyengar emphasized the importance of the challenge process and said there should be “a process for people to see” the maps to know where broadband is and isn't available. The state was the first to receive BEAD planning grant funding (see 2208310061). The required outreach that states must do as part of the program is “a positive thing,” said Brian O’Hara, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association senior director-regulatory affairs, though the 25% matching requirement is a potential concern because larger companies that can afford a higher percentage may have an advantage over some NRECA members.

Every state has “a very different starting point,” said Boston Consulting Group Partner Matt Kalmus. The 270-day deadline NTIA gave states to submit their five-year action plan after receiving their initial planning funds is going to be a challenge, said Indiana Broadband Office Deputy Director Earnie Holtrey. The state plans to use some of its BEAD funding to continue developing its broadband speed map that has been underway for nearly a year, Holtrey said, because “if there’s an area we’re behind on, it’s mapping.”

NTIA’s connecting minority communities pilot program is continuing to announce awards "on a rolling basis,” said Kevin Hughes, acting director-Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (see 2210050050). Interest in the program has been “phenomenal,” he said, and there’s “clearly a need for broadband in vulnerable communities.” Hughes noted the Digital Equity Act’s $1.25 billion competitive grant program also provides an opportunity for community anchor institutions to participate.