FCC Yanks Home Wi-Fi Aid: Students' Hotspots Go Cold Starting February
Published Date: 1/21/2026
Rule
Summary
The FCC is rolling back its July 2024 rules that allowed E-Rate program funds to pay for Wi-Fi hotspots used off school grounds. This change affects students and schools relying on these hotspots for internet at home, stopping federal support for off-premises Wi-Fi starting February 20, 2026. The FCC also denied other challenges and withdrew related rule changes, keeping the focus on on-site internet support only.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Federal E-Rate Hotspot Support Ends
The FCC rescinded its July 2024 rule that let E-Rate funds pay for Wi‑Fi hotspots used off school grounds. Federal support for off‑premises Wi‑Fi hotspots and associated wireless internet services stops effective February 20, 2026, which affects students and schools that relied on those hotspots for home internet.
Pending FY2025 Hotspot Requests Denied
The FCC directed the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to deny all pending funding year (FY) 2025 E-Rate funding requests for off‑premises use of Wi‑Fi hotspots and wireless internet services that were requested under the July 2024 Hotspots Order. Applicants and service providers with pending FY2025 requests for those off‑premises services will not receive E-Rate funding for those requests.
Expansion Requests to Fund Other Tech Denied
The Commission denied petitions from Los Angeles Unified School District and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition that sought to expand E-Rate eligibility to support wireless service to LTE‑enabled devices, private Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) networks, or standalone hotspots. Those requests, filed on September 19, 2024, will not be approved, so E-Rate will not be expanded to cover those technologies for off‑premises use.
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