Controversy erupts: FCC approves $5 billion for school and library wifi

The story is brand new, but the elements are not: We have Republicans on one side, Democrats on the other, and America’s kids stuck right in the middle.

After a figurative slugfest, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a $5 billion five year plan to build wifi networks in America’s schools and libraries. The program’s proponents say the networks are necessary if we are to make it possible for students to use their tablets and laptops in their classrooms.

“The effort will potentially provide a 75 percent increase in Wi-Fi funding for rural schools over the next five years and a 60 percent increase for urban schools,” FCC commissioners said, “delivering Wi-Fi to an additional 10 million students in 2015 alone.”

After months of heated debate and contentious hearings, the plan was approved on a 3-2 vote with Democrats voting aye and Republicans voting nay. According to arttechnica.com, “The majority said the plan will modernize the nation’s E-rate program, which provides discounted telecommunications services, Internet access, and equipment to eligible schools and libraries. It is paid for by the Universal Service Fund, which in turn is funded by US residents through surcharges on phone bills.”

It should be noted that E-rate’s annual budget is already $2.4 billion per year and the five year, $5 billion approved by the FCC is on top of that.

Democrat commissioners say additional fees won’t be necessary. They think they can find $1 billion in each of the next two years “through improved financial management practices that free up excess reserves.” How will they fund the following three years? “For the following three years, the program will target $1 billion annually to Wi-Fi—while continuing to ensure funding is available for broadband connectivity to schools and libraries—by phasing out support for non-broadband services, such as pagers and phones, and through increased efficiencies.”

We’re happy to report that none of the Commissioners — not even those who voted against the expanded program — came out against the expansion. The Republicans who came out on the losing end of the vote merely wanted to control spending and give the schools and libraries more flexibility and more control of their own budgets.

Ajit Pai, one of the dissenting Republican Commissioners, said “any talk of fiscal responsibility will be short-lived. In five months, maybe six, we’ll be back at this table discussing how much to increase Americans’ phone bills. Universal service contribution rates have jumped 60 percent under this administration. What’s a few billion dollars more?”

Pai seems to think the FCC is fighting at cross purposes by making the schools and libraries jump through flaming hoops to acquire what the Commission promises it can deliver.

“…Schools and libraries generally still have to fill out a 17-page application to receive funding,” he said. And that’s just the beginning of the regulatory and bureaucratic obstacle course they’ll have to navigate. Pai warns of “specialized procurement rules,” extended waits prior to funding commitments, and the necessity of outlining spending plans “up to a year before the school year begins.”

Pai proposed a far more decentralized plan in which schools and libraries would be given far more flexibility to spend them money how and when they needed it.

Although we can see both sides of the argument, we’re very happy to report that high speed broadband internet is coming soon to more of America’s schools and libraries.