April 23, 2026
In-Person E-Rate Training 2026
In-Person Training USAC is coming to an event near you in 2026. E-Rate experts will provide training, discuss program updates, and answer questions from new and experienced participants. Registration for these in-person training events opens on April 23, 2026, at 3 p.m. E.T. Below are the events where we can answer your E-Rate questions. Register now!
Phoenix, AZ: September 15, 2026, at the Salvation Army Kroc Center, 1375 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ. Register.
Washington, DC: September 24, 2026, at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) headquarters, 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. Register.
The training will also be available live on the FCC’s YouTube page at
https://www.youtube.com/@FCC.
April 16, 2026
Service Providers: Have You Filed the FCC Form 473?
Have you checked your filing status for FCC Form 473 (Service Provider Annual Certification (SPAC)) in EPC for FY2026 and prior funding years? USAC started sending reminders to service providers who have not yet filed their annual SPAC on April 2, 2026, and will send subsequent reminders periodically through June 30, 2026.
FCC rules require service providers to annually file a SPAC (47 C.F.R. § 54.504(f)) and a SPAC Form must be on file before USAC can pay invoices – FCC Forms 472 (BEAR) or FCC Forms 474 (SPI) – for that specific funding year. Only Full or Partial Rights users can complete the SPAC in EPC. For step-by-step directions on how to complete the SPAC online, go to the FCC Form 473 (SPAC) User Guide.
Service providers can check the status of their FCC Form 473 for a given funding year by opening their organization’s summary page in EPC. Applicants and Service Providers can also use the E- Rate FRN Invoicing Deadline Tool to lookup the status of any Service Provider Identification Numbers (SPINs) and check the SPAC Filed? column.
April 16, 2026
FCC Updates Suspension and Debarment Rules
On March 26, 2026, the FCC adopted a Report and Order (FCC 26-18) that modified its suspension and debarment rules to align with the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Guidelines on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension; adopted FCC-specific rules tailored to its programs, and sought comment on expanding the rules to cover the Supply Chain Reimbursement program and any future FCC programs. The Report and Order adopted rules allowing the FCC to promptly and efficiently exclude or otherwise limit bad actors’ participation in the FCC’s programs, including the USF, the Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), and the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP). The FCC will now be able to consider a wider range of misconduct by program participants that warrants removal, act more quickly in appropriate cases to address bad actors, and promote transparency and due diligence among program participants by requiring any prior misconduct to be disclosed and curtail inadvertent participation by unscrupulous actors down the supply chain (i.e., subcontractors and other lower-tier participants).
April 16, 2026
FY2026 Window Waiver Requests
Applicants who need to request a waiver of the Funding Year (FY) 2026 application filing window deadline should be sure to certify and submit their FCC Form 471 in the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) before they file their waiver request with the FCC. Note that you will receive an out-of-window status notification after you certify your form. If the waiver request is granted, the FCC Form 471 will be treated as timely filed during the filing window. See the E-Rate Appeals Waiver Guide.
April 8, 2026
FCC Suspends Seven Convicted Criminals from Universal Service Fund Programs
On April 7, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission suspended seven individuals from participating in the agency’s Universal Service Fund programs. These individuals illegally enriched themselves through schemes to defraud the E-Rate program, including by lying in official filings with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and overbilling the E-Rate program. As part of the FCC’s efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in Universal Service Fund (USF) programs, the FCC recently voted on updates to its suspension and debarment rules that enable the agency to take quicker and more comprehensive action against wrongdoers. For more information, review the press release.
