October 11, 2022

On October 4, 2022, the FCC released Order DA 22-1063, waving certain E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), Rural Health Care, COVID-19 Telehealth, Lifeline, High Cost, and Affordable Connectivity Program rules and deadlines to assist participants and service providers, including Universal Service Fund contributors, located in the areas affected by Hurricane Ian, which struck Florida on September 28, 2022, and the States of North Carolina and South Carolina on September 29, 2022.

E-Rate Program

E-Rate Program Deadlines – For schools and libraries located in Affected Disaster Areas in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, the FCC waived, on an interim basis, the following deadlines that may occur after the effective date of the Order, and provide those affected with up to 150 calendar days from the effective date of this Order to submit the required filing:

  • Requests for review or waiver of decisions by USAC, directed to USAC or the Commission
  • Filing FCC Form 486 (Receipt of Service Confirmation and Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Certification Form)
  • Filing FCC Form 472 (Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Form) and FCC Form 474 (Service Provider Invoice Form)

Service Implementation Deadline Extensions
Documentation Retention and Production
Service and Equipment Substitutions

Emergency Connectivity Fund Program

Emergency Connectivity Fund Program Deadlines.  For Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) program participants located in the Affected Disaster Areas, the FCC waived, on an emergency interim basis, the deadline to submit a request for review or waiver of decisions by USAC, directed to USAC or the Commission and provide these participants with up to 150 calendar days from the effective date of the Order to submit their filing.

Documentation Retention and Production
Service and Equipment Substitutions

The full FCC Order, including details of the waivers and the other impacted USF Programs can be found here.