CATEGORY ONE AND CATEGORY TWO SERVICES
CATEGORY ONE
Category Focus
Category One focuses on services necessary to provide broadband connectivity to school and library buildings. This category consists of the services that provide broadband to eligible locations including data links that connect multiple points, services used to connect eligible locations to the Internet, and services that provide basic conduit access to the Internet.
Previously eligible items such as voice services have been eliminated completely from the program. This category does not include charges for content or equipment purchases.
| Eligible | Ineligible |
|---|---|
| Data Transmission Services and Internet Access are eligible for E-rate. Examples:
Eligible costs for leased lit fiber, dark fiber, and self-provisioned networks include monthly charges, special construction, installation and activation charges, modulating electronics, and maintenance and operation charges. Network Equipment and maintenance and operation costs for existing networks are eligible. With the exception of leased dark fiber and self-provisioned broadband networks, maintenance and technical support appropriate to maintain reliable operation are only eligible for support when provided as a component of these services. All equipment and services, including maintenance and operation, must be competitively bid. | E-rate support is not eligible for:
Off-campus use, even if used for an educational purpose, is ineligible for support and must be cost allocated out of any funding request. |
CATEGORY TWO
Category Two focuses on broadband connectivity within school and library buildings.
Support is limited to the internal connections necessary to bring broadband into, and provide it throughout, schools and libraries. Basic maintenance of these connections, as well as services that manage and operate owned or leased broadband internal connections (e.g., managed internal broadband services or managed Wi-Fi) are also eligible.
Category Two funding is subject to fixed five year pre-discount budget cycles.
Broadband Internal Connections
Support is available for broadband connections used for educational purposes within, between, or among instructional buildings that comprise a library system. Eligible Internal Connections must be located at the applicant site and must be necessary to transport information to publicly accessible rooms of a library.
| Eligible | Ineligible |
|---|---|
Internal connections support is limited to those broadband distribution services and equipment needed to deliver broadband to library patrons.
| To focus support on only those internal connections necessary to enable high-speed broadband connectivity, E-rate support for the following is ineligible:
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Basic Maintenance of Eligible Broadband Internal Connections
Support is available for basic maintenance and technical support appropriate to maintain reliable operation when provided for eligible broadband internal connections. Support for basic maintenance will be paid for actual work performed and parts repaired or replaced. Basic maintenance is eligible for support only if it is a component of a maintenance agreement or contract for eligible broadband internal connections – the components themselves must be eligible for discounts for their associated basic maintenance services to be eligible.
| Eligible | Ineligible |
|---|---|
The agreement or contract must specifically identify the eligible internal connections covered, including product name, model number, and location. | Basic maintenance does not include:
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Managed Internal Broadband Services
Services provided by a third party for the operation, management, and monitoring of eligible broadband internal connections are eligible managed internal broadband services, for example managed Wi-Fi.
| Eligible | Ineligible |
|---|---|
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