Release Notes 2021

This page is designed to communicate all major dataset and platform fixes, enhancements, and known issues/problems that USAC has addressed based on valuable USAC Open Data community user feedback. If you encounter any issues and problems please email us at opendata@usac.org. 

2021 Release Notes

Release Date – December 30, 2021

Update 
  • Lifeline: Companies Near Me Dataset
The dataset has been updated to integrate new information related to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

Announcement - December 10, 2021

Due to E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) System Maintenance, the data in all E-rate Open Data datasets will be refreshed on Saturday, Dec 11, 2021.

Release Date – December 2, 2021

New Dataset and Tool (Map)
  • High Cost: Eligible Locations Adjustment Process Map and Dataset
The Eligible Locations Adjustment Process Map (ELAP Map) displays the geographic areas that are eligible for CAF II Auction support, as well as the locations where CAF II Auction Participants, taking part in ELAP, have identified Qualifying, Ineligible and Prospective location types.

Release Date – November 11, 2021

New Tool
A new E-rate Entity Search tool has been published so users can easily search for and download entity data for school districts, schools, library systems, libraries, consortia, and non-instructional facilities. Data for the tool is based on the latest EPC entity profile.

Release Date – October 26, 2021

Update
This dataset has been updated so that records from ECF funding applications submitted during the second application filing window (and late-filed applications moved to the second application filing window) are now  available.

Release Date – October 20, 2021

Update
New Fields Added to Emergency Connectivity Fund FCC Form 471 Dataset
  • Contact Name
  • Contact Phone
  • Contact Email
See the dataset’s glossary for more details.

Release Date – September 27, 2021

Update
This dataset has been updated so that data from ECF funding applications submitted during the second application filing window (and late-filed applications moved to the second application filing window) will be made available after the close of the filing window on October 13, 2021

Release Date – September 10, 2021

New Dataset
The Emergency Connectivity Fund FCC Form 471 dataset contains data from each Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) FCC Form 471 including applicant details such as applicant type, Billed Entity Number (BEN), student count, dollars requested and approved, as well as related information from the ECF portal; data from each Funding Request Number (FRN) including service provider and contract information, Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) related data, and invoicing details; and data from each FRN line item ID including individual product/service data, costs, quantities, and descriptions. This dataset can be used to answer questions about the applicant entity, the services requested, the quantity of the service requested, which service provider is supplying the service, the invoicing method used, the length of the contract, and fiber type information if applicable. All information within the ECF FCC Form 471 dataset is self-reported by applicants.

Release Date – September 10, 2021

Update
The “Last Date to Invoice” field from the E-rate Invoices and Authorized Disbursements (FCC Forms 472 and 474 ) dataset has been updated to ensure that the logic as described in the data glossary is reflected in all records for this field. Previously a limited number of records were not displaying the correct “Last Date to Invoice” date value.

Release Date – July 20, 2021

Update
New Field Added to RHC Commitment & Disbursement Open Data Sets
  • Invoice Deadline Date

Release Date - May 17, 2021

Update
The CAF Map Release 4.0 dataset displays the locations where carriers that receive CAF support had built out mass-market, high-speed Internet service as of December 31, 2020. This information comes directly from carriers, which submit broadband deployment data annually through USAC’s High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal. USAC independently verifies deployment to a random sample of reported locations each year to monitor carrier compliance with CAF build-out obligations, but not all data in the map has been subject to this review. Please note that:
  • ACAM locations currently in the dataset include locations funded by both the original ACAM program and Revised ACAM;
  • Not all existing CAF-BLS locations are in the CAF Map since CAF-BLS carriers that had fully deployed broadband at speeds of 25 Mbps downstream/3 Mbps upstream (25/3 Mbps) to all locations in their study area before May 25, 2016 do not have to file deployment data with the HUBB;
  • The CAF Map does not yet reflect milestone tracking for Revised ACAM, ACAM II and CAF II Auction deployment obligations.

Release Date – April 30, 2021

Update
New Fields and FRN Statuses Added to RHC Commitment & Disbursement Open Data Sets
  • Gross Demand
  • Original Committed Amount

Release Date – April 21, 2021

New Dataset and Tool (Chart)
  • E-rate Invoices and Authorized Disbursements Dataset & Tool
The E-rate Invoices and Authorized Disbursements (FCC Forms 472 and 474) dataset provides invoicing data for applicants, service providers, and other stakeholders so they can track invoice lines completed and authorized for disbursement. The dataset includes invoice lines authorized on July 1, 2016 and after and does not include in-process, pending, or cancelled invoice lines. The dataset includes invoice and FCC Form 471 related data so users can filter and sort the data accordingly.

Release Date – January 13, 2021

Update
The C2 Budget Tool FY2021+ and data set has been modified to reflect updates from the new EPC entity profile Category Two Budget tab. For each budgeted entity, the C2 budget version as well as the other fields used to derive the various C2 budget amounts will be calculated based on the entity data and cost allocations provided in certified or committed C2 FCC Forms 471 when available.

Previous Release Notes