Now that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new rules to simplify and streamline its controversial e-rate program, will the move actually reduce fraud and ease the application process? Educators are keeping their fingers crossed.
The $2.25 billion e-rate fund, designed to provide discounted Internet service to schools and libraries, has been plagued by criticism since its 1996 launch. FCC audits have uncovered waste and abuse ranging from simple paperwork and reporting errors to false billing and other cases of fraud potentially reaching hundreds of millions of dollars (see News, May 2003, p. ...