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<p class="MsoNormal">Greetings,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please see the FCC news bulletin regarding Thursday’s meeting in Washington:
<a href="http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-continues-e-rate-reboot-meet-nations-digital-learning-needs">
<span style="color:windowtext">http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-continues-e-rate-reboot-meet-nations-digital-learning-needs</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This order takes additional steps to ensure high-speed broadband connectivity to schools and libraries, particularly schools and libraries in rural areas.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The order provides:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>Additional flexibility for schools and libraries seeking to purchase affordable, high-speed broadband connections. Specifically to provide applicants more options to pay for non-recurring construction costs. It suspends the multiyear amortization policy
and allows applicants to pay the non-discount portion of non-recurring construction costs over multiple years.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>Beginning in funding year 2016, it also equalizes program rules for dark fiber and allows e-rate applicants to self-construct high-speed broad band facilities when self-construction is the most cost-effective option, with appropriate safeguards consistent
with rules already applicable to the commission's healthcare connect fund. <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>It also provides an additional discount of up to 10% to match state funding for self-construction charges for last mile facilities with special consideration to schools and libraries,
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>Requires recipients of high-cost funding to offer high-speed broadband to schools and libraries located in the geographic area where the provider receives high-cost support at rates reasonably comparable to similar services in urban areas. Next, the
order addresses the e-rate program's ongoing funding needs. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>It increases the predictability of funding for connectivity within schools and libraries by expanding the five-year budget approach for category two internal connections through funding year 2019.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>The order increases the e-rate funding cap by $1.5 billion to $3.9 billion, plus annual inflationary changes.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>The order also directs USAC to establish a performance management system to assess the effectiveness of the program's administration.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>Finally, the order on reconsideration adopts a more inclusive definition of rural so that
<b>a school or library located in an area with a population of less than 25,000 will be considered rural to ensure that additional funding is targeted to areas where e-indicate services are more costly.</b>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The order <b><i>dismisses</i></b> petitions seeking reconsideration of the commission's:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>10-year document retention rule<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>The immediate phase-out of support for voice components<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>The decision not to allow multi-year or conditional commitments. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in">·<span style="font-size:7.0pt">
</span>It further clarifies the cost effectiveness test for individual data plans and the cost allocation requirements for circuits carrying VoIP services. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Sonya Schryer Norris<br>
<br>
Library Consultant and Plinkit Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Library of Michigan<br>
517-373-4457<br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><a href="http://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan"><span style="color:blue">http://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan</span></a><br>
<a href="http://www.mel.org/"><span style="color:blue">http://www.mel.org</span></a><br>
<a href="http://www.michlibrary.org/"><span style="color:blue">http://www.michlibrary.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#31849B">Invest in a child’s future today. Support the MDE Culture of Reading.</span></i><span style="color:#00B050">
</span><a href="http://www.michigan.gov/cultureofreading"><span style="color:blue">www.michigan.gov/cultureofreading</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><img border="0" width="176" height="106" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D015DD.29A8ABE0" alt="Culture of Reading-A (2)"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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