E-rate should be improved and modernized by increasing...

E-rate should be improved and modernized by increasing bandwidth goals and streamlining the application process, the National Association of Counties said in comments (http://bit.ly/1st2EfU) filed with the FCC Monday in Docket 13-184. NACo also suggested focusing funding on broadband by phasing out funding for non-broadband services like paging and voice mail, and strengthening the buying power of communities to buy bandwidth by providing more options. “The E-Rate program has been an instrumental tool for our schools and libraries. ... Unfortunately, the typical K-12 public school has about the same Internet access speed as the average home -- with 200 times more users. It means that 40 million students are being left behind without the speeds they need to take full advantage of digital learning opportunities,” the comments said.