Vol. 18, No. 3
January 18, 2022
FCC Commits $361+ Million More for Emergency Connectivity
The FCC is committing $361+ million in its latest wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) program support. This round of commitments will support 802 schools, 49 libraries and 8 consortia, which are approved to receive nearly 654,000 connected devices and over 313,000 broadband connections. This seventh funding wave brings total commitments to nearly $4.2 billion since the program was launched on June 29, 2021, supporting students, school staff and library patrons in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework and virtual learning, to ensure students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education. Total commitments to date are supporting over 9,800 schools, 800 libraries, and 100 consortia for over 8.9 million connected devices and over 4.7 million broadband connections.
NTIA to Host Broadband Grant Programs Listening Sessions
NTIA will host broadband grant program public virtual listening sessions in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These public virtual listening sessions are designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform program development and implementation.

Virtual public listening sessions will take place:
  • Wednesday, January 26, 2022, from 2:30–4:00 p.m. EST
  • Wednesday, February 9, 2022, from 2:30–4:00 p.m. EST
  • Wednesday, February 23, 2022, from 2:30–4:00 p.m. EST

These listening sessions will be hosted via NTIA’s virtual platform. Registration information will be available on the NTIA's BroadbandUSA website.
FCC's OEA Releases Universal Service Monitoring Report
The FCC's Office of Economics and Analysis released the 2021 Universal Service Monitoring Report, which observes the impacts of universal service support mechanisms and the method used to finance them. Initiated by the FCC in 1997, this is the 24th such report, prepared by staff members for the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service. The report is based on information available as of September 2021.