There are 35 days until the scheduled close of the FY2016 E-rate filing window and the current count of applications is about half of the number submitted last year at this point. When comparing the count of applications submitted five weeks out from the deadline, in 2015 there were 12,650 Form 471 applications already posted. In 2016, the count is 6,594.
Within schools and libraries, there appears to be robust demand for Internet access and on-campus Wi-Fi networks. The lagging pace of funding applications most likely stems from the transition to USAC’s new E-rate Productivity Center (EPC).