The Federal Communications Commission has clarified that Comcast can continue its Lift Zone pilot project beyond the 2022 expiration of a waiver it obtained from an E-rate rule.

The FCC had allowed Comcast to test expanding its Lift Zone diverse broadband access program from community centers to libraries that receive E-rate funding. It did so by extending its pandemic-related waiver of the prohibition on gifts from providers to E-rate school and library recipients until June 30, 2022.

But Comcast asked the FCC to clarify that it could continue the library pilot program beyond that waiver cut-off date.

The FCC‘s Wireline Bureau has done just that. “We clarify that Comcast may provide broadband and other services to the seven library systems‘ Lift Zone locations for the three-year term Comcast requested in its petition,” the bureau said. “We find that a three-year waiver for the seven library systems selected for its Lift Zone library pilot, with the safeguards Comcast has agreed to implement, is in the public interest.“

Comcast‘s WiFi Lift Zones are part of the company‘s effort to provide broadband connections to low-income households. It currently has 15 locations in Baltimore. 13 in Washington and one in Virginia.

The “zones,” which are created in partnership with local nonprofits, provide free WiFi connections in partner community centers so kids who may not have WiFi connectivity at home.

The Democrat-controlled House Communications Subcommittee has scheduled an FCC oversight hearing for Sept. 17 and if its title, "Trump FCC: Four Years of Lost Opportunities,” is any indication, the FCC commissioners should prepare for some tough questions.

If the title were not sufficient, the joint statement from Communications Subcommittee chairman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and parent House Energy & Commerce Committee chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) put an exclamation point on the Democrats' unhappiness.

“After four years, this FCC has failed to make broadband any more affordable for consumers, which has exacerbated the digital divide,” they said. “Worse yet, they have not used all the tools at their disposal to blunt the terrible impact COVID-19 has had on Americans struggling to stay connected to schools, work and needed services. We look forward to questioning the commissioners on these and other issues next week.”

One issue Democrats have is that FCC chairman Ajit Pai has said that the E-rate broadband subsidy for schools can't be used to pay for home broadband service or equipment for students.

Pai has said the Communications Act "expressly limits the FCC's use of E-rate program funding to broadband and other services delivered to school 'classrooms' and libraries. Connectivity and devices supplied to students at home unfortunately do not qualify for E-rate support under the law."

Congressional Dems have countered that his reading of the statute is too narrow and that Congress is OK with him interpreting classroom to mean the new home classroom necessitated by COVID-19.

Pai on Thursday (Sept. 10) praised ISPs for working to extend broadband to more students by offering discount service to schools.