FCC Votes to Spend $2B On WiFi In Schools

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday approved a plan to spend $1 billion per year to provide Wi-Fi service in schools and libraries, according to The Hill.

The plan from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler passed in a 3-2 vote after an eleventh-hour compromise was reached to secure the votes of the commission’s two Democrats.

“Because of what we do today, 10 million kids will be connected next year who otherwise wouldn’t. That’s a good day’s work,” Wheeler said at Friday’s open meeting.

The Wi-Fi plan has proved controversial at the agency and on Capitol Hill.

Republicans warn that the agency will need to increase fees on U.S. phone bills to pay for the spending in Wheeler’s plan. Democrats have said the FCC should increase connectivity funding for schools and libraries across the board and worry that the Wi-Fi focus will take away funding for basic connectivity in schools and libraries.

Mignon Clyburn

Wheeler and the FCC’s two Democrats tweaked his original plan to ensure the Wi-Fi-only funding does not take away from funding on traditional broadband.

“It certainly is not perfect, and there are key aspects I would have approached differently, but the order makes key improvements,” FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn (D) said.

The $1 billion in annual funding would come in addition to the annual $2.4 billion budget for the FCC’s E-Rate program.

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