IN ERate Update Webinar

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IN E-Rate Update Webinar

• December 7, 2005

2
ENA Background

• Participant since Year 1
• Experienced E-Rate team
• Service Provider Leader in Internet Access
• Tennessee Order
• Over 100m in E-Rate funded
• Customer service and education focus

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Intro

• E-Rate process is ever changing and quite complex
• Todays webinar focused on highlights and new
  information
• Seek out experienced assistance as SLD rarely
  allows you to correct errors
• Q A
• At end of presentation
• ENA available at your convenience

4
E-Rate Season

• 471 window is open
• 471 deadline is Feb 16th
• 470 deadline is January 19
• Dont wait to last minute if needed

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E-Rate Tips

• 470 New Form
• Tech plan needed before filing
• Can be draft approval can be pending
• Check boxes for multiyear and voluntary
  extensions
• When in doubt, check the boxes
• Services must be described even with RFP
• Services without a contract
• Tariff, Month to Month
• Require a 470 Each Year

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Form 470 Tips

• Certify immediately on-line
• Mandatory 28-day waiting period
• RFP must be out minimum of 28 days
• 2 signatures, 2 dates on contracts
• Avoid basic telecommunications checkbox

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IN Internet Access

• Internet Access State Consortium available
• School Corp does not need a 470
• Can purchase heads and tails from state contract
• Consortium Files Form 471 for all participants
• IDOE paperwork requirements
• Tech Plans
• Letter Of Agency
• Service Checklist what service requested
• Website - http//doe.state.in.us/technology/erate.
  html
• Track/verify your request for service

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PINS

• SLD proactively promoting use of PINs
• All who certified 470, 471 and 486 in 2005-2006
  funding year and all who certified 470 in Year 9
  will get PINs
• Old PINs will be deactivated, new PINs activated
  December 5

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Eligible Services List 2006

• Limited changes some quite vague
• Go to SLD website for news release and new list
• Declined to remove Administrative Convenience
  exception for telcos providing both telco and
  Internet
• Wireless Internet Access for Blackberry-type
  devices is eligible provided that the applicant
  has in place an auditable system to allocate
  between eligible and ineligible uses.
• Virtual Private Networks eligible as IC
  equipment
• like firewalls in prior years
• VPN components eligible for basic and reasonable
  security protections

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E-Rate Program Reviews

• Congressional hearings and report
• Increased audits planned
• Anti-Deficiency Act
• FCC Notice of Public Rule Making
• New FCC Chairman
• Comments requested on all aspects of E-Rate
• Hurricane Katrina special funding window
• Using up all the Internal Connections

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Site Visits

• Being conducted by BearingPoint
• Tone is positive
• Usually involves review of one FRN
• Review of E-rate knowledge, administration
• Review of technology operation
• Maintenance logs
• Equipment inventory/equipment rooms
• E-rate equipment labeled

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Site Visits

• Have a teacher ready to talk about how technology
  is used in teaching
• Youll be asked your opinion of the program
• Be honest and straightforward
• Have binder prepared for site visitor to keep
  with all information in it

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Resources

• Contact ENA Rex Miller rmiller_at_ena.com or
  your IN ASM
• Contact IDOE Mike Huffman or Marcia Ping
• Websites
• IDOE site (http//doe.state.in.us/technology/erate
  .html)
• SLD main E-Rate rule site training/Web Ex
  (www.sl.universalservice.org)
• E-Rate Central resources/news
• (www.e-ratecentral.com)

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Summary Comments

• Success with E-Rate requires three main
  components
• Documented technology plan
• Well planned, fully competitive bids
• Extremely careful compliance with form
  preparation, deadlines and document retention