• PY4 and PY5 Status Updates
• SLD Releases New Eligible Services List
• FCC’s ZIP Codes
• New York State E-rate Training Sessions in November - Updated

The following is a summary of the E-rate News for the Week of October 22, 2001, prepared by E-Rate Central. Official SLD news appears in the “What’s New!” section of the SLD’s Web site . Additional and archived information appears elsewhere on our E-Rate Central Web site .

PY4 and PY5 Status Updates

The SLD formally announced that the Form 471 filing window for next year’s (PY5) E-rate applications will open November 5, 2001, and close January 17, 2002. Applications not filed within this window will not be funded. To qualify for in-window filing:

1. Manually filed Form 471s must be postmarked no later than January 17; or
   
   
2. Electronically filed Form 471s must be completed online by January 17. If an electronic signature is not used (a new feature for PY5 to be announced next week), an original signed signature page also must be mailed to the SLD by January 17. In either case, the paper attachments must be mailed to the SLD (unlike last year, these attachments may not have to be sent within the window).

PY4 applicants funded after October will have at least 120 days to file their Form 486s. Any applicant funded in an earlier wave, who missed the October 28^th deadline for existing services, will receive discounts on these services only from the date that the belated Form 486 is filed.

SLD procedures for confirming applicant discount rates have been tightened during recent application reviews. Because 90% is a critical level for internal connection funding this year, the SLD has indicated that some 90% discount rate applications approved early in the review process are being reexamined. Previously funded applicants may be asked for additional supporting documentation and may find funding decisions reversed if they fail to meet the tighter standards.

Earlier this fall, the SLD uncovered on a small number of PY4 applications whose attachments were either misplaced or associated with the wrong applications. The SLD subsequently identified just under 600 applications that met the following conditions: (a) the Form 471 had been filed online or postmarked within the window; (b) the SLD also received the signed certification page received the window; but (c), the SLD had no record of the Item 21 attachments and had, therefore, rejected the application. Although it is expected that most of these rejected applications were the result of applicant error, the SLD is now sending letters to all such applicants offering to reinstate the applications upon certification that the attachments had indeed been filed in a proper and timely manner. We applaud the SLD’s effort to correct a few apparent internal problems and trust, for the sake of the program’s future, that undeserving applicants will not attempt to take advantage of the certification process.

An updated version of the Eligible Service List was posted on the SLD’s Web site this week. For the first time, the SLD also included a useful overview and FAQ list on eligible services. The new list is required reading for any applicant planning to file a PY5 application for anything more than the most basic services. Choose the appropriate link:

Eligible Services Framework

Updated List of Eligible Services

For the most part, the new list represents an expansion and/or clarification of information contained in the previous list released November 1, 2000. Two items – e-mail account fees and DHCP servers – that had been ineligible, are now listed as eligible. Other interesting changes and additions (all of which are noted on the new list in bold type) include:

1. Internet2 (an enhanced Internet service currently used primarily by colleges and universities): Transmission fees for connectivity are eligible, but Internet2 membership fees are not.
   
   
2. VoIP (voice/video services over the Internet): VoIP transport and service fees are not eligible, but the inclusion of VoIP capability on otherwise eligible servers and other internal connection equipment does not render such equipment ineligible.
   
   
3. Residential telephone service: Only business telephone service is eligible unless state or local laws (or, presumably, tariffs) specifically permit schools and libraries to obtain service at residential rates.
   
   
4. 800 and custom calling services: Toll-free long distance services and custom calling features (e.g., call waiting, call forwarding, etc. – but not voice mail) are newly listed as eligible.
   
   
5. Dark fiber (see “Miscellaneous” section): Capital costs for fiber optic cable capacity that does not have a direct and immediate use are not eligible.
   
   
6. Professional services (see “Miscellaneous” section): Seven types of services are newly listed as either ineligible or, depending upon use, conditionally eligible.

FCC’s ZIP Codes

Applicants filing appeals with the FCC – which hopefully won’t be too many of you – should note that the FCC has one main street address, but two Zip Codes.

We strongly recommend that all appeals be delivered by express mail so as to both guarantee and track delivery. The full address we use for such appeals is:

Ms. Magalie Roman Salas

Office of the Secretary

Federal Communications Commission

445 12^th Street, S.W., Room TWB-204

Washington, DC 20024

For mail services requiring a telephone number, we suggest using 202-418-0300.

As we have done in previous years, E-Rate Central will be holding half-day E-rate workshops for New York State applicants this fall. The preliminary workshop schedule is provided below. Updates, locations, and registration information are posted on the New York State section of the our Web site. Please be advised that security practices at some locations require pre-registration.

Nov. 9 – New York City (2 sessions)

Nov. 13 – Albany

Nov. 14 – Syracuse

Nov. 14 - Watertown (New Addition)

Nov. 15– Utica (Revised Date)

Nov. 16 – Buffalo