South Carolina Puts Broadband Spectrum Up For Bid

December 31, 2008

COLUMBIA, SC – December 31, 2008 – A large portion of South Carolina’s wireless spectrum goes on the market starting today. 

The South Carolina Educational Broadband Service Commission has issued a Request for Proposals seeking offers to lease excess capacity over 67 Educational Broadband Service licenses issued by the Federal Communications Commission to the S.C. Educational Television Commission. In addition to the public affairs and other programming it broadcasts over local television stations, SCETV is currently using many of its EBS licenses to provide video educational programming to schools and others.  

This spectrum blankets nearly the entire state of South Carolina and parts of Georgia and North Carolina. It offers a unique opportunity to serve an estimated 5.6 million people with new and innovative wireless services, which can serve as a catalyst for economic development.  

The spectrum can be used for many services, such as broadband Internet access, multichannel video, voice communications, video conferencing and any other lawful applications.  Services may be offered to consumers, business, public, governmental or educational users and may also be used to support research and development of fixed and mobile wireless applications. 

“We have cast a wide net in seeking potential respondents who are interested in helping to unlock the value of this spectrum to benefit the people of South Carolina,” said commission Chairman Gary C. Pennington. The commission is promoting the opportunity to submit proposals in telecommunications and technology trade publications, national and local newspapers and online. 

As required by the 2008 legislation establishing the Commission, the RFP invites proposals to lease all or a portion of the spectrum that remains available after a portion of the spectrum is retained for educational purposes. The commission’s recommendation would go to the Joint Bond Review Committee and then the S.C. Budget and Control Board for final approval. Submissions are due February 16, 2009.

 

For more information and to obtain a copy of the RFP, go to: http://ebscommission.sc.gov