Coalition Asks FCC to Issue New EBS Licenses to Schools, Tribal Nations
More than 830 signatories petitioned the FCC Wednesday to make new educational broadband service licenses available to educational institutions and tribal nations, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition said. The group noted that 23 years ago, the FCC stopped…
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issuing new EBS licenses, “leaving 50 percent of the geography of the United States, primarily rural areas, without access to this portion of the 2.5 GHz band.” A year ago, commissioners approved 4-0 an NPRM seeking proposals for changes to the band, including an incentive auction like the one for TV broadcast spectrum (see 1805100053). The petition's signers include schools, rural operators, libraries, nonprofit organizations, anchor institutions and public interest groups from 48 states and the District of Columbia, the coalition said. “EBS is currently the only licensed spectrum available for educational institutions to serve their communities,” the group said. “The FCC is expected to reach a decision this summer about how to make this spectrum available. It has sought comment on whether to give educational and Tribal entities the first opportunity to obtain this spectrum, or whether to proceed immediately to a commercial auction and eliminate the requirement that licenses be held by an educational or nonprofit entity.”