Report: FCC to double funding for Internet access in schools

The Federal Communications Commission will double the funding it has for broadband access in schools and libraries over the next two years, The New York Times reported over the weekend.

{mosads}The increased funding — which President Obama referred to during his State of the Union address last week — will go toward the part of the federal E-Rate program aimed at connecting 20 million students to the Internet, according to the report.

The spending will be used to increase broadband speeds and deliver wireless networks in schools but will not require an increase to the current fees paid by telephone companies to support the program, the report said.

This year, the majority of the doubled funding — from $1 billion to $2 billion — will come from leftover funds, the newspaper reported.

“Next year, much of the money will come from changes to the E-Rate program, including the elimination of programs that pay for outdated technologies, like paging services, dial-up Internet connections and email programs that are available free elsewhere.”

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is expected to announce more details of the plan at a Digital Learning Day event Wednesday, according to The New York Times.