Protect 2.5 GHz Band for Educational Use, Education Department Says
The Department of Education said the FCC should preserve the 2.5 GHz educational broadband service (EBS) band for educational institutions. The FCC is examining whether to open the band, possibly through an incentive auction, providing mid-band spectrum for 5G. Chairman…
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Ajit Pai was expected to seek changes for the band at the June commissioners’ meeting but didn't (see 1905130054). 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 Department's interest in this matter is tied to its mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access,” DOE said. “The Department strongly encourages the Commission to maintain and modernize the current educational priority of the EBS spectrum by keeping the current eligibility requirements for EBS licenses, modernizing the educational use requirement, and issuing new EBS licenses using local priority filing windows.” The letter was posted Monday in docket 18-120. Officials from the National EBS Association and the Catholic Technology Network, meanwhile, met with aides to Pai. They urged “licensing EBS white space through local priority filing windows to new educational entities as proposed in paragraph 41” of the NPRM.