Schools And Phone Companies Face Off Over Wireless Spectrum
CONSUMERS ARE HUNGRY for data. To give it to them, mobile carriers say they need access to more of the wireless spectrum that carries cellular data, broadcast programming, and all other wireless signals. Carriers complain that the parts of the spectrum reserved for smartphone use are increasingly crowded, at least in urban areas. To keep […]
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Critics blast FCC’s planned changes to EBS 2.5 GHz band, citing harm to education
As the Federal Communications Commission prepares to vote on changes to use requirements for a portion of the 2.5 GHz band, certain non-profit groups and incumbent users voiced criticism Wednesday, citing harm to education and rural Americans. The draft order, released Wednesday, would eliminate educational-use requirements currently in place for licenses in the Educational Broadband Service […]
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The FCC’s Draft EBS Order Is Devastating for the Educational Community says NACEPF and Mobile Beacon
The North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation, Inc. (NACEPF) and Mobile Beacon vehemently oppose the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s draft Order regarding Educational Broadband Service (EBS). The proposed Order strips away the educational core of the band, threatens the long-term sustainability of existing programs that serve more than 450,000 low-income and rural Americans today, and […]
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NACEPF and Mobile Beacon Respond to FCC Chairman Pai’s Plan for the 2.5 GHz Band
“We are deeply concerned by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Chairman’s blog regarding 2.5 GHz Educational Broadband Service (EBS) spectrum. Flying in the face of unanimous support on the record from Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, public interest groups, and educational associations to preserve the public interest benefits of this spectrum, the FCC is moving forward with […]
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FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Aims to Further Deploy 2.5 GHz Band of Spectrum for 5G Wireless Networks
The Federal Communications Commission will vote in July on whether or not to auction off unused portions of the 2.5 GigaHertz (GHz) spectrum band to advance the deployment of 5G wireless networks. Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement that the order would “modernize an outdated regulatory regime” and “give incumbent users more flexibility” by eliminating certain […]
Read more NACEPF and Mobile Beacon Applaud the U.S. Department of Education for Supporting the Importance of Keeping EBS Spectrum Reserved for Educational Purposes
The North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation, Inc. (NACEPF) and Mobile Beacon applaud the recent ex parte letter from the U.S. Department of Education, which was filed in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s rulemaking docket, Transforming the 2.5 GHz Band. We agree with the Department of Education’s assessment that “EBS is a valuable tool available […]
Read more NACEPF and Mobile Beacon Express Concern After FCC Cites Unenforceable Merger Conditions As Reasons to Approve the Anticompetitive T-Mobile/Sprint Merger
Following Chairman Pai and Commission Carr’s statements of support for the T-Mobile/Sprint merger, the North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation, Inc. (NACEPF) and Mobile Beacon issued the following statement from Katherine Messier, Executive Director. “It is deeply concerning to us that FCC regulators would express support for a merger absent any structural remedies, like 2.5 […]
Read more NACEPF, Mobile Beacon, and Public Interest Groups Call on FCC to Delay EBS Rulemaking
The North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation, Inc. (NACEPF) and Mobile Beacon joined several public interest groups in filing a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asking that a decision in the Educational Broadband Service (EBS) rulemaking proceeding be postponed to give the public more time to provide input on key topics in the […]
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SHLB Coalition Leads Call on FCC to Delay EBS Proceeding
In a letter filed today, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition joined Mobile Beacon, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), the North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation (NACEPF), Public Knowledge and Voqal in asking the Federal Communications Commission to request additional comment on and delay its proceeding to transform the Educational Broadband Service […]
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Hundreds sign petition against FCC’s plan to commercialize education’s wireless service
The Federal Communications Commission received a petition with more than 800 signatures on Wednesday urging the federal agency not to commercialize a wireless service that has traditionally been dedicated to serving educational institutions and nonprofits. The petition coincides with an anticipated decision by the FCC to dispense with many of the requirements controlling who can hold a license […]
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