# 2026-01053: FCC Yanks Home Wi-Fi Aid: Students' Hotspots Go Cold Starting February

2026-01053, Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program; Partial Withdrawal, is a Federal Register rule from Federal Communications Commission published 2026-01-21, effective 2026-02-20 (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01053
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-01053
- Title: Addressing the Homework Gap Through the E-Rate Program; Partial Withdrawal
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Federal Communications Commission
- Citation: 91 FR 2492
- Published: 2026-01-21
- Effective: 2026-02-20
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

FCC Yanks Home Wi-Fi Aid: Students' Hotspots Go Cold Starting February

## 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.

## Abstract

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.

## Effects PRIA read

- Federal E-Rate Hotspot Support Ends: cost, high. The FCC rescinded its July 2024 rule that let E-Rate funds pay for Wi‑Fi hotspots used off school grounds.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 fo…
- Pending FY2025 Hotspot Requests Denied: cost, medium. 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…
- Expansion Requests to Fund Other Tech Denied: cost, low. 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 hotsp…

## Related documents

- [2026-20591](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20591): Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20590](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20590): Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20676](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20676): Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20607](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20607): Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20681](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20681): Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20486](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20486): Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 2026-10-06

## Sources
- [2026-01053 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/21/2026-01053/addressing-the-homework-gap-through-the-e-rate-program-partial-withdrawal)
- [2026-01053 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-21/pdf/2026-01053.pdf)

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- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01053 (as of 2026-06-11).