Latest News: Alerts

For nearly three decades, the E-Rate program has delivered on the universal service goals Congress set out, giving schools and libraries access to affordable, high-speed broadband. Across that span, the program has kept pace with evolving technology while holding firm on fiscal discipline and accountability. The real question facing the Commission isn’t whether E-Rate works—that much is settled. The program’s track record speaks for

USAC has announced a new requirement for Universal Service Fund (USF) invoicing that directly affects all E-Rate applicants and service providers using the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) method. Beginning in August 2026, USF payments will be issued using the banking information stored in SAM.gov, not the banking data currently on file in USAC’s legacy systems. To avoid delays or interruptions in BEAR reimbursements,

The June 1, 2026, streamlined Public Notice shows the Bureau mostly applying existing precedent on deadlines and documentation, while granting targeted relief where applicants showed special circumstances (illness, USAC error, prior red-light issues now cleared) and reinforcing a very strict view of timeliness in the Cybersecurity Pilot and ECF programs. Schools and Libraries (E‑Rate) The Bureau disposes of a large volume of E‑Rate requests,