FCC Waives Certain Classification Standards From 2017 E-rate Eligible Services List

On February 8, 2017, the Wireline Competition Bureau ("Bureau") granted a waiver of certain Category One/Category Two classification standards established in the 2017 Eligible Services List ("ESL") on its own motion, meaning that it was made without a request from an outside party for waiver.  In the 2017 ESL, the Bureau provided a new explanation of how to classify connections between multiple buildings in a single school for purposes of requesting Category One or Category Two support and provided an Appendix B with FAQ on the classification of connections.  With regard to multiple buildings, the Bureau clarified that connections between different buildings are eligible for Category One support regardless of whether the buildings are located on the same grounds.  Beginning with the 2017 Funding Year, if connections are between instructional buildings of a single school, or non-administrative buildings of a single library located on different campuses belonging to the