[Libs-Or] Up Next? E-rate and it's worth the wait

[Diedre Conkling]

http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/03/next-e-rate-worth-wait/

Up Next? E-rate and it's worth the wait
Posted on March 7, 2014 by Marijke Visser

We're not sure how you best characterize waiting with your finger poised
over the refresh key anticipating the release of an FCC Public
Notice<http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0306/DA-14-308A1.pdf>.
But, nonetheless, we at ALA were not the only ones who impatiently awaited
the latest installment of the E-rate modernization proceeding that began
last June (if not before with the 2010 National Broadband Plan) with the
President's ConnectED initiative
announcement<http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/06/06/president-obama-unveils-connected-initiative-bring-america-s-students-di>
.

Since the summer release of the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking<http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-launches-update-e-rate-broadband-schools-and-libraries>(NPRM),
the Commission has logged over 1500 comments and ex parte filings.
Some of the issues raised in the NPRM warrant further public input to help
the Commission determine the best path forward. To that end the Commission
is seeking detailed input on three specific issues:

   - "How best to focus E-rate funds on high-capacity broadband, especially
   high-speed Wi-Fi and internal connections;
   - Whether and how the Commission should begin to phase down or phase out
   support for traditional voice services in order to focus more funding on
   broadband; and
   - Whether there are demonstration projects or experiments that the
   Commission should authorize as part of the E-rate program that would help
   the Commission test new, innovative ways to maximize cost-effective
   purchasing in the E-rate program." (Paragraph
4<http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0306/DA-14-308A1.pdf>
   )

Within these issues, there are a number of critical questions asked that
are important to libraries and decisions made through the public record
will certainly influence library broadband capacity and the ability of
libraries to deliver key community services. The opportunity to shape the
future direction of the E-rate program is immense and therefore somewhat
daunting as we begin to fine-tune our own proposals. In our initial
comments and throughout the process we have sought input and feedback from
a wide range of librarians and expect to do so again through the guidance
of the ALA E-rate Task force, other ALA member leaders, and expert
consultants.

Once a Notice is released, the most common thing to do is count the pages
(phew, "only" 20 pages of questions) and search for your key interest - in
our case "librar." It is noteworthy to mention that a number of comments by
libraries are cited as well as those from ALA. Moreover, some of our ideas
are discussed explicitly (paragraph 59). This is reflective of the
Commission's dedication to capturing the important role libraries play in
their communities that broadband enables; the great need libraries have in
boosting broadband capacity; and potential differences in needs of
libraries from our school counterparts.

We are gratified to see that the Commission remains open and even
aggressive in soliciting new ideas about how to make sure the program is
efficient and effective - that funds are targeted to the most critical
services that build library and school broadband capacity. As stated in the
Notice, the targeted issues are not the sole issues that could be included
in a final order. They are simply the ones for which the record to date was
either unclear or commenters were equally split, or where the Commission
needs more detail to fully understand how to address some of the stickiest
challenges raised in the NPRM.

Many of the questions posed ask commenters to make difficult choices - such
as what is the most equitable means to ensure applicants receive funding
for internal wiring and Wi-Fi networks and determining how to handle voice
services in a program gearing toward a broadband capacity focus. Though not
mentioned in the Notice, we do understand that increasing the overall size
of the fund is still somewhere on the table - while we feast on this Public
Notice, we expect the overall funding question to be the next course.

So what's the next step?

Comments are due April 7th with reply comments due April 21st. For the next
few days we will be nose down reading and parsing the Notice which will be
a break of sorts from the multiple meetings we have had with FCC
commissioners and staff, as ALA, and as part of inside-the-beltway
coalitions - in person and by phone. These meetings were a combination of
advocacy for the role libraries play in education, employment and
entrepreneurship, and empowering people though providing access to
e-government, health information, digital literacy training, and similar
services and providing the Commission with library data of the current
state of broadband capacity, network configuration, and projecting future
trends in library services that call for a scalable approach to building
capacity for libraries.

We are appreciative of the careful review the Commission has given to the
public record. In reality, the process, though sometimes murky and arguably
long, is successful. Concepts are being analyzed, issues debated, and
solutions weighed. There will be some changes in the future which will have
to be worked through when implemented and we expect some discomfort.
However, we support the direction of the Commission as we think about
library needs five, ten, and twenty years from now. We view the Notice as
another important step in the future of the E-rate program and thus the
future of broadband capacity for all libraries.

*Alan Inouye, OITP director, did the hard part of this post by getting the
first thoughts down and contributed with thoughtful suggestions.*




http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/03/next-e-rate-worth-wait/

-- 
*Diedre Conkling*




*Lincoln County Library DistrictP.O. Box 2027Newport, OR 97365Phone & Fax:
541-265-3066Work email**:
**diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org*<diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org>
*Home email: **diedre08 at gmail.com* <diedre08 at gmail.com>

 "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change
your attitude."--Maya Angelou
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