Public Interest Groups Seek Changes in FCC's July E-rate Order

Led by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, four public interest groups filed a petition at the FCC asking for changes in a July order that lets schools and libraries use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services (see 2407180024). The petition reflects several changes SHLB sought before the order was approved 3-2 (see 2407170035). “The Commission should allow E-Rate funding to support cost-effective options that are functionally equivalent to commercially available mobile wireless services and Wi-Fi hotspots within the established pre-discount budget,” said the petition, posted Friday in docket 21-31: “E-Rate support should also be available for the purchase of hotspots on a standalone basis if an applicant already has access to the service needed to use the hotspots, and for wireless service that could be used with an applicant’s existing non-hotspot Wi-Fi-enabled equipment.” Also signing the petition were the Open Technology Institute at New America, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and the Consortium for School Networking. Maurine and Matthew Molak filed a legal challenge to the order in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The FCC told the court the case isn’t ripe for review since the agency hasn’t addressed petitions for reconsideration and the order isn’t final (see 2409130063). Commissioner Brendan Carr has questioned whether the order would survive a legal challenge.