FCC Chair Wheeler Calls For $1.5 Billion E-Rate Boost.

Several national media outlets are covering FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s plans to announce a push for an increase in Federal funding for expanding schools’ broadband capacity. The New York Times (11/17, Wyatt, Subscription Publication) reports that Wheeler’s goal is “fiber-optic lines reaching to every school and a Wi-Fi connection in every classroom,” and reports that an anonymous FCC official said that Wheeler “is expected on Monday to propose a 62 percent increase in the amount of money the agency spends annually to wire schools and libraries with high-speed Internet connections.” This would raise the cap on such spending by $1.5 billion to $3.9 billion, and the Times explains that the “initiative is part of a continuing overhaul of the Universal Service Fund and its educational component, known as E-Rate.”

Roll Call (11/18) reports that he increase “would mean individuals would pay additional costs on their phone bills” totaling roughly $1.90 per year. Roll Call reports that Education Secretary Arne Duncan praised Wheeler’s proposal, quoting him saying, “We applaud the FCC’s continued efforts to help level the playing field so that all students have access to fast broadband, giving them the best chance to succeed in the global economy.”

The AP (11/17) reports that the plan “would increase slightly the fees consumers pay each month on their phone bills,” noting that Wheeler “told reporters that he estimates the average consumer or business would pay roughly $1.90 extra a year per phone line to make that happen.” This piece also notes Duncan’s praise for the plan.

Reuters (11/18, Selyukh) reports that the FCC is scheduled to vote on the proposal on December 11, noting that education groups have sought a lift on the cap for some time. Reuters quotes National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia saying, “Today’s announcement will go a long way to help level the digital playing field for our country’s students and ensuring equity.”

The National Journal (11/18, Sasso, Subscription Publication) focuses its coverage on the “substantial increase in government fees on all monthly phone bills.” This piece quotes Wheeler saying, “The same digital revolution that gave us Netflix and YouTube also opened new worlds of educational opportunities for teachers, students, and librarians. But, unfortunately, while the connected home is commonplace, the connected classroom and library is not.”