Data / Federal rules / 2026-01053
Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program; Partial Withdrawal
The Federal Communications Commission published this final rule in the Federal Register on January 21, 2026. It took effect on February 20, 2026.
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What the agency says
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) reconsiders the E-Rate Wi-Fi hotspot and services rules adopted in July 2024. Specifically, the Commission grants the petition for reconsideration filed by Maurine and Matthew Molak and finds that the best reading of section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, (the Communications Act) is that it does not permit funding of off-premises use of Wi-Fi hotspots and the associated wireless internet services with E-Rate program support. In so finding, the Commission rescinds the rules adopted in July 2024. The Commission also denies the two remaining petitions for reconsideration of the Commission's 2024 Hotspots Order. Consistent with the reconsideration, the Commission also withdraws two amendatory instructions published in the Federal Register, but delayed indefinitely.
Key facts
- Document number
- 2026-01053
- Type
- Final rule
- Action
- Final rule; partial withdrawal
- Agency
- Federal Communications Commission
- Published
- January 21, 2026
- Takes effect
- February 20, 2026
- Dates
- Effective February 20, 2026. As of January 21, 2026, amendatory instruction numbers 4 (for Sec. 54.504) and 9 (for Sec. 54.516) in the final rule, published at 89 FR 67303 on August 20, 2024, are withdrawn.
- Docket
- WC Docket No. 21-31; FCC 25-62; FR ID 326287
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 47 CFR 54
- Topics
- Communications common carriers; Internet; Libraries; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Schools; Telecommunications; Telephone
- Pages
- 5
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|---|---|---|
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| Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz); Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band 2026-21324 | Final rule | Oct 19 |
| Petition for Reconsideration of Action in Rulemaking Proceeding; Correction 2026-21312 | Proposed rule | Oct 19 |
| Television Broadcasting Services Des Moines, Iowa 2026-21260 | Proposed rule | Oct 19 |
| Petition for Reconsideration of Action in Rulemaking Proceeding 2026-20895 | Proposed rule | Oct 13 |
| Radio Broadcasting Services; Selmer, Tennessee 2026-20464 | Final rule | Oct 6 |
| Radio Broadcasting Services; Whitehall, Michigan 2026-20463 | Final rule | Oct 6 |
| Wireline Competition Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics Adopt 2026 Mandatory Data Collection for Incarcerated People's Communications Services 2026-20362 | Final rule | Oct 5 |
Everything from the Federal Communications Commission · Rules on communications common carriers · Rules on internet · Rules on libraries · Published in January 2026
Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.