FCC dangles $1B in third Emergency Connectivity Fund round

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has already awarded more than $4.6 billion from the $7.2 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), but plans to dish out at least another $1 billion in its third – and likely final – funding round.

Established in March 2021, the ECF offers support to schools and libraries to help them buy laptops, tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers and commercial broadband service for students, staff and patrons. An initial application window for the program opened in June. This elicited an overwhelming response – with funding requests totaling $5.14 billion – and prompted the FCC to open a second filing window in September.

The agency said in a press release it now plans to open a third application window from April 28 to May 13, which will allow eligible entities to apply for funding that can be used to make covered purchases made between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. The FCC indicated this will likely be the program’s final filing round before its available funding is exhausted.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has already awarded more than $4.6 billion from the $7.2 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), but plans to dish out at least another $1 billion in its third – and likely final – funding round.

Established in March 2021, the ECF offers support to schools and libraries to help them buy laptops, tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers and commercial broadband service for students, staff and patrons. An initial application window for the program opened in June. This elicited an overwhelming response – with funding requests totaling $5.14 billion – and prompted the FCC to open a second filing window in September.

The agency said in a press release it now plans to open a third application window from April 28 to May 13, which will allow eligible entities to apply for funding that can be used to make covered purchases made between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. The FCC indicated this will likely be the program’s final filing round before its available funding is exhausted.