Service Providers now have access to Item 21 attachments filed online

Service Providers Access to Online Item 21s

FCC Releases Public Notice (11/3/09) and NPRM (11/5/09)

On November 3, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released Public Notice DA 09-2376 seeking comment on Broadband Needs in Education. Comments are due to the FCC by November 20, and reply comments are due by December 11, 2009.

On November 5, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) FCC 09-96 proposing revising the FCC rules regarding the E-rate program to comply with the requirements of the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act. Comments will be due to the FCC 30 days after, and reply comments will be due 45 days after, the NPRM is published in the Federal Register.

FCC Announces Mandatory Electronic Disbursement of USF Support Payments

The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau announced September 28 that all federal Universal Service Fund (USF) support payments must be made by electronic funds transfer (See Public Notice DA 09-2126).

The notice states that recipients of USF support payments shall provide their financial institution information and other relevant information on FCC Form 498, which is being updated to reflect these requirements.  USAC encourages all service providers to update their Form 498 information using USAC's E-File System. Once the updated 498 form is processed, all following support payments will be made electronically.

The Wireline Competition Bureau will issue a further public notice announcing the effective date of the electronic payment requirement. After the effective date, USAC will not make USF support payments to any entity that has not provided financial institution information sufficient to enable payment through electronic funds transfer.

Please note: Service providers in the Schools and Libraries Program that currently use the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR Form 472) form will continue to receive check payments even if they provide electronic banking information until further notice.

If you have any questions, please contact USAC at (888) 641-8722 or customerservice@bcd.universalservice.org.

2009 Fall Training Agenda and Presentation Materials Now Available

To download the agenda or presentation materials, go to 2009 Fall Training Agenda and Presentations.

Form 470 Search Posted

Review Forms 470 posted on or after July 21st in the Form 470 Table on this website.

USAC IT UPGRADE

The Apply Online page including all online forms and most search tools will be unavailable from 5 pm EDT September 1 until 9 am EDT September 14 due to the system upgrade. During this time users will be unable to file or certify forms online. More information is available in the USAC IT Upgrade FAQs or the special SLD News Briefs issued 8/13, 8/20 and 8/27 and posted on our website, or by calling our Client Service Bureau toll free at 888-203-8100 for more information.

USAC IT UPGRADE

USAC is in the process of improving its Schools and Libraries Program information technology (IT) systems. As part of this effort, we will be conducting a major upgrade of our IT infrastructure in the first two weeks of September in order to allow us to begin to make additional improvements in the future. The infrastructure upgrade is essential, but it will require us to take down the interactive areas of the USAC website in which applicants and service providers file forms and conduct searches of Schools and Libraries Program data.

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Upgrade