Background: The Federal Communications Commission today said it would allow most of the space between digital TV channels to be used for Internet and other wireless uses. The following statement is attributed to the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition:
“The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today took a major step to foster innovation and create new opportunities for consumers. By allowing the ‘white spaces’ between TV channels to be used for unlicensed services, the FCC put the public interest ahead of the special interests. The FCC decision has the potential to bring enormous benefits to all Americans, whether as a tool for broadband access or as an engine of innovation and job creation. It will move wireless services into the 21st century.
“New wireless services will develop as a result of this decision that would not have been allowed to be realized otherwise. These new services will enrich the lives of Americans while not interfering with their traditional entertainment options.”
Current PISC members, in alphabetical order, are: The CUWiN Foundation (CUWIN), Common Cause, Consumer Federation of America (CFA), Consumers Union (CU), EDU¬CAUSE, Free Press (FP), the International Association of Community Wireless Networks (IACWN), Media Access Project (MAP), the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), the New America Foundation (NAF), the Open Source Wireless Coalition (OSWC), Public Knowledge (PK), and U.S. PIRG.
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.