ECF Funding Year Deadline Extended

February 23, 2022

The FCC has issued an Order that extends the service delivery deadline for internet service and equipment funding requests submitted in Emergency Connectivity Funding (ECF) Funding Year 2021 from June 30, 2022 to June 30, 2023.  The unprecedented decision was made due to ongoing delays in funding commitments, post-commitment reviews, and equipment availability.  This means that applicants will be able to receive ECF support for up to the full 12 months of service that was committed, and/or will have until June 30, 2023 to receive ECF-funded equipment.  This does not mean that additional funding will be added to your FY 2021 ECF funding requests, or that you can seek reimbursement for more than 12 months of service.

For example:  If your mobile broadband internet service began November 1, 2021, and you were approved for 12 months of service, you may receive ECF funding for those services from November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2022 (instead of June 30, 2022).

The Order does not change the deadline for funding requests for the construction of new networks which is one year from the funding commitment decision letter date.

Due to the service delivery deadline extension, applicants and service providers will now have until August 29, 2023 to submit requests for reimbursement (BEARs or SPIs) – 60 days after the new service delivery deadline.  The FCC strongly encourages applicants/service providers not to wait this long to file their reimbursement requests, if possible.

Several applicants have asked about whether there will be a Window 3 to cover services/equipment for FY 2022.  The FCC’s Order was silent on a third application window.  As of now, we know there is $700 remaining (perhaps up to $1 billion) from the original $7.1 billion allocation.  I’ll keep you posted.

– Julie

Julie Tritt Schell
Pennsylvania E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 – o
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org