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March 15, 2016
New Option for Answering Connectivity Questions for FY2016 Application Submission
Our team has heard the concerns from the field, particularly from very large districts, that the five connectivity questions and the data entry method for those questions presents a significant challenge for large filers and that if possible an alternative method for collecting the information should be offered.
In response, USAC has created an optional process for data entry for these fields for the FY2016 application. In order to assist applicants with 50 or more entities, we have put in place a support process with filers of this size, and larger, in mind. While we are assuming others will be able to manage the workload, USAC will accept requests for support from applicants who have smaller applications and have extenuating circumstances, but please be reasonable in your requests for support. We do not have the capacity to support all applications in this respect and are focused on those with the most significant amounts of data to enter.
The specifics of the alternative process are as follows:
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We will provide a template on our website for you to download and complete with the relevant connectivity data;
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The applicant must return the form to us by email at connect@sl.universalservice.org by April 4, 2016 for USAC to enter your data; and
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USAC will ensure the data is entered into the system on your behalf and notify you when the process is complete.
This extraordinary measure reflects the combination of our desire to support filers in this year of transition and the importance of getting accurate connectivity data for FY2016. For FY2017, this process will be simplified due to the fact that data from FY2016 will carry over, so will only need to be updated with changes that occurred during FY2016 (e.g., upgrades in internal broadband connectivity). We also plan to provide a template that can be uploaded directly into EPC in FY2017; this is not an option this year due to the time required for development.
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You can access the template on the FY2016 Filing Window HQ page in the FCC Form 471 Filing section. Once you have downloaded the template, please fill it out and email it to connect@sl.universalservice.org. We will notify you once the data have been entered, which will signal your ability to submit your otherwise completed application. It is still your responsibility to complete the rest of your application while SLD is performing the data entry. If you have questions, please call our call center at (888) 203-8100.
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