eRate 2.0 Finalized
October 13, 2014 3:52 pm |The finalization of the new eRate 2.0 was established just two weeks ago and our goal is to help you prepare for your coming school year’s budget and determine if you plan on using this funding for Wi-Fi at your school. Below are a couple of very important.
Category One
Recently I was told by one of our client that a service provider told them that by changing to VoIP voice services, they could continue to receive existing discounts in the coming cycles. If that is true, I haven’t found a work around. Everything I’ve read and conversations with state eRate coordinators continues to support the original dockets.
Here also is the page that supplies all eRate Modernization Orders and Relevant News Briefs… if you need some midnight reading. The point being, voice services are being phased out and below is a matrix showing at what discount and Funding Year you should expect to no longer received voice service discounts.
Some schools are proactive is trying to see voice service discounts return. If this is something you would like to express your opinion on, I recommend you contact your governor’s office as well as your state representative.
Category Two – Available for any school!
In a recent phone call and/or email you were supplied the formula below to determine just how much funding would be available to your school in FY2015 for Wi-Fi installation or expansion. It is important to note that C2 funding is still matching funds for your project, i.e. the funding available will only pay for your discount percentage of your project.
A school in Bradenton, Florida with a 50% discount had 569 students. Therefore, they can receive $42,675.00 to be used for Wi-Fi after July 15, 2015. It can either be used in that cycle or spread over the next 5 years (cycles).
$150 X Discount X number of Students =
$150 X 50% X 569 = $42,675.00
ERate will pay up to $42,675.00 on a $85,350.00 project, i.e. 50% of the project.
Below is a new chart showing how discounts are applied for the coming cycles under C1 and C2.
GOOD NEWS… The writing of a Technology Plan meeting USAC requirements and that plan being approved by a USAC Tech Plan approver is no longer needed.
In previous years, a tech plan and TPAL was required for both P1 internet and any P2 funding… no more!
REMEMBER…
- Nothing can be contracted until we give you a date which will possibly be late March
- Nothing can actually be install until after the funding cycle begins (July 1, 2014)
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This post was written by Dan Burns
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