| ITFS (Instructional Television Fixed Service), the
distance learning technology that has provided teacher training and
classroom instruction to millions of students and teachers across the
United States for more than 35 years, is still under assault from the
wireless telephone industry. Although nearly 1300 ITFS licensees serve
thousands of public and private schools, colleges, and universities
nationally, third generation (3G) cell phone service providers persist
in their request that FCC relocate the ITFS band in order to accommodate
them on the digital spectrum. Such a relocation would cripple ITFS.
This is particularly unfortunate because ITFS has emerged as a
powerful tool for bridging the digital divide. The ITFS community-in
conjunction with their MMDS partners-is on the brink of expanding its
capabilities to provide broadband wireless Internet access and
high-speed data transmissions in addition to traditional video
programming. This new frontier not only promises inexpensive high-speed
broadband access for educational institutions, but also high-speed
access for thousands of underserved communities, including those
bypassed by DSL and cable modem service, across the United States.
On March 31, 2001, the FCC issued its Final Spectrum Report on
Instructional Television Fixed Services <http://www.fcc.gov/3G/3gfinalreport.doc>.
The report noted that taking any portion of the ITFS/MDS band for 3G
would severely disrupt ITFS services and be prohibitively expensive.
Additionally, it noted that there is no comparable band within which to
locate the ITFS service and that bands presently occupied by the U.S.
Department of Defense might be more appropriate for 3G. While ITFS
supporters were justifiably buoyed by many of the report's conclusions,
this fight is not over. Given the FCC's largely favorable findings, 3G
advocates and the Department of Defense will turn to Congress for
political support in an effort to pressure the FCC to change its
position. It is critical that members of Congress hear from you first.
Action Requested:
- Educators and ITFS licensees are urged to contact their members of
Congress immediately at (202) 224-3121 or by using one of the
attached letters and ask them to urge the FCC to preserve the ITFS
spectrum for education. Specific accounts of how ITFS is being used
as educational tool in your community are particularly encouraged in
these communications.
- Send a letter to the FCC supporting the findings in the final
spectrum report
- If you are a licensee, share this alert with others and ask the
institutions that you serve to write your Congressional delegation.
Attached are draft versions of letters that could be sent to members
of Congress and the FCC. Be sure to customize these letters with
information about what you are doing with ITFS in your local
community.
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