Eligible Equipment and Services
Eligible Equipment and Services
The following types of equipment are eligible for support under the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program:
- Laptop and tablet computers
- Wi-Fi hotspots
- Modems (including air cards)
- Routers
- Devices that combine a modem and router.
The following services are eligible for support under the ECF Program:
- Commercially available internet access services providing a fixed or mobile broadband Internet access connection for off-campus use by students, school staff, or library patrons.
Reasonable Support Amounts
Applicants may seek funding for:
- Up to $400 for each connected device (laptops and tablets)
- Up to $250 for each Wi-Fi hotspot provided to a student, school staff or library patron
The reasonable costs of all other eligible equipment and services will be determined upon careful review by USAC with guidance from the FCC.
Limited Exception for New Construction and Datacasting Equipment
Where there are no commercially available broadband Internet access services available, schools and libraries will be able to seek ECF Program support to construct or self-provision networks to connect students, school staff, and library patrons who would otherwise not be connected to the Internet, or for the customer premises equipment needed to receive access to educational content through datacasting services. In order to seek support for network construction or for customer premises equipment to receive datacasting services, applicants must demonstrate that there were no commercially available Internet access services available sufficient to support remote learning from one or a combination of providers.
Duplicative Funding
ECF Program rules do not permit applicants to receive duplicative support for the portion of the services that have already been reimbursed through other federal or state programs. If a student’s household is receiving support from, for example, the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program for broadband internet access connectivity, the student would not be eligible for broadband connectivity under the ECF Program.
If the previous program funding is no longer available, and the student as a result lacks adequate access, the applicant may seek funding for providing broadband connectivity to that student.
Additionally, a student whose household is receiving broadband service through the EBB Program could receive a connected device through the ECF Program if they would otherwise lack such access to a device.
