USAC Announces E-Rate Training Site for Online Filing
reprinted from Schools and Libraries News Brief
The Schools and Libraries Training Site can be used to practice filing and certifying Schools and Libraries program forms online or to train others in the online filing process.
At first glance, the Training Site appears identical to the Apply Online page. The Training Site, however, is for training and practice only. Forms filed or certified on this site will not be reviewed by USAC.
The following forms are available for training and practice on the Training Site:
FCC Form 470
FCC Form 470 Interview
FCC Form 471, including online Item 21 attachments
FCC Form 471 Interview, including online Item 21 attachments
FCC Form 486
FCC Form 486 Interview
Note: The online BEAR Form and the other functions in the Utilities column are currently unavailable due to maintenance.
Getting started
In order to use all of the features of the Training Site, use the following entity name and number specifically created for this site:
Billed Entity Name: APPLICANT
Billed Entity Number: 145909
Billed Entity Email: applicant@usac.org
Personal Identification Number (PIN): Test2009
Authorized Person Last Name: Smith
By using this entity name and number, you can:
- Practice filing as an individual school, a school district, a library, a consortium, or a statewide application.
- Enter any contact person name and contact information.
- Add any entities you choose in the FCC Form 471 Block 4 worksheet (except in some cases BEN 145909).
While using the Training Site, we recommend that you:
- Disable popup blockers (to ensure that you receive all of the reminders and warning messages that guide you through the online application process); and
- Do not bookmark any of the internal pages on the Training Site (to avoid confusion between the Training Site and the actual Apply Online web pages). You can, however, bookmark the Training Site entry page or follow the link to the Training Site from the bottom of the Forms page on the USAC website.
Training Site instructions
FCC Form 470 and FCC Form 470 Interview
No special data are necessary to file an FCC Form 470 on the Training Site. If you wish, you can use data you are familiar with to file the form – your BEN, your address, your contact person. However, you cannot certify the form unless you use the BEN we provided you with above (145909) as the Block 1 entity.
To demonstrate how to enter information for a consultant, you can use Consultant Registration Number "16062359."
FCC Form 471 and FCC Form 471 Interview
On the Apply Online page, the FCC Form 471 for a funding year is not available online until the application filing window opens. However, on the Training Site, the application filing window has been pre-set to open July 1 and close the following June 30 in order to allow the FCC Form 471 to be accessible all year.
Other tips for FCC Form 471 include the following:
- For the entry in Item 3B, you can use "1234567890."
- To demonstrate how to enter information for a consultant, you can use Consultant Registration Number "16062359."
- If you use BEN "145909" as the Block 1 entity on the Training Site, you can create Block 4 worksheets using entities that correspond to the type of application you are filing, and you can certify your form on the Training Site using the PIN referenced above.
- To complete the data entry of a Block 5 funding request, you must enter the application number of an FCC Form 470 that has been posted for at least 28 days. You can use the "Search Posted" function in the Form 470 column on the Training Site to locate one. Note that you will receive a warning message if the category of service you enter in Item 11 was not included on the FCC Form 470 you cite.
- After you submit your form on the Training Site, you can file an Item 21 attachment on the Training Site by using your FCC Form 471 application number and security code.
FCC Form 486 and FCC Form 486 Interview
An FCC Form 486 can only be filed once for each Funding Request Number (FRN). For use on the Training Site, USAC created a list of Training Site FRNs – 100 FRNs, 25 for each of the four categories of service.
Each of these FRNs can be used only once each day. If someone else has already used one of the FRNs on the list on the day you are filing an FCC Form 486, simply choose a different FRN. While working on the FCC Form 486, remember the following:
- You must choose FY2012 (07/01/2012 – 06/30/2013) as the funding year.
- You must enter a service start date within this funding year for each FRN in Item 7, Column E.
- The technology plan entries (Item 8) and the CIPA certifications (Item 11) must be consistent with the category of service of each FRN you enter in Item 7B or you will receive an error message and be unable to continue.
REMINDER: The Training Site appears identical to the Apply Online page. The Training Site, however, is for training and practice only. Forms filled out and filed or certified on this site will not be reviewed by USAC staff.
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For more information about the Universal Service Fund (USF) Schools an Libraries Division (SLD) managed by the Universal Services Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), click here.