Clarendon Foundation's Educational Broadband Service Stations

Clarendon Foundation has Educational Broadband Service licenses in 21 markets across the country. It is partnering with wireless broadband operators to launch mobile WiMAX networks, and provide schools with free wireless Internet service.

Educational Broadband Service

2005 - Present

The wireless cable industry, which had been promoted by the FCC as a third pipeline for subscription television service to compete with cable TV and satellite TV, failed due to a lack of channel capacity. Over a period of about a decade, the FCC amended its regulations to respond to changes in technology, including the introduction of the Internet, and developments in the telecommunications industry.

In 2004, the Commission authorized use of the educational broadcast spectrum for two-way digital use and low power service, which is used to minimize harmful electronic interference in cellular networks. It also revised its band plan for the 2.5 Gigahertz to provide for contiguous spectrum in the channel assignments, which is required to deploy advanced wireless services. The FCC changed the name for the educational broadcast service from Instructional Television Fixed Service to Educational Broadband Service (EBS).

In adopting its “new, more flexible rules,” the FCC intended to “facilitate the growth of new and innovative wireless technologies and services, including wireless broadband services that have the potential to compete with cable and DSL broadband providers and to extend broadband service to rural and underserved areas.”

This government initiative led to the acquisition of wireless cable operators by the major telecommunications companies, such as Sprint-Nextel, MCI WorldCom, Craig McCaw’s Clearwire Corporation, and Pegasus, which later changed its name to Xanadoo. The spectrum is now being used to deploy a broadband wireless Internet access network using 4th Generation mobile WiMAX technology. Clarendon Foundation has entered into spectrum leasing arrangements with wireless operators; most of its leases are with two WiMAX operators, Clearwire and Xanadoo.

The WiMAX standard was developed by the computer chip maker, Intel Corporation, to be used as platform for a Municipal Area Network (MAN). WiMAX complements Wi-Fi (Local Area Network or LAN) and Bluetooth (Personal Area Network or PAN), and has a much higher throughput. If WiMAX operators working together can create a nationwide wireless access network, that will do the same thing for the computer as cell phones did for the telephone. This will enable portable, nomadic, and mobile use of connected devices over an all Internet Protocol network. Because of its greater throughput capacity and expanded coverage, WiMAX has been called “Wi-Fi on steroids.” The originator of the technology, Intel, views WiMAX as the most efficient way to provide “broadband to the masses.”

The Foundation currently holds FCC licenses for Educational Broadband Service channel groups in 21 U S markets, including Las Vegas, NV, Columbus, OH, Tampa, FL, Milwaukee, WI, Springfield, IL, and Abilene and Midland, TX. Clarendon is working with Clearwire Corporation, and Xanadu to roll out wireless broadband Internet access service in its licensed broadcast areas, including new WiMAX service, which is in effect a metropolitan area wide “hot spot.”

In addition, the FCC has granted a Nonexclusive Nationwide (NN) license in the 3.65-3.7 Gigahertz band to Clarendon Foundation. This spectrum can also be used to operate WiMAX service. The 3.5 GHz band was adopted by the FCC to encourage the deployment of broadband wireless access in rural and underserved areas.

Clarendon is also supporting the development of multicast video streaming technology that can be used to broadcast full screen television images over the new Internet Protocol (IPv6), which will be deployed in most areas of the United States by 2011. The Foundation intends to launch its TV America network, which will carry public interest programming about American history, culture and ideals that is produced by nonprofit organizations.