The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved a plan to reorganize a band of airwaves in hopes of promoting further deployment of wireless high-speed Internet access.
The band, which includes more than 190 megahertz of valuable spectrum, is primarily used by education institutions for programs like distance learning and by companies including Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc.
The agency approved a plan that would allow greater flexibility for using the airwaves and continue to allow education organizations to lease their spectrum in the band for commercial services, like wireless high-speed Internet services, known as broadband.
The agency refused to allow the education organizations to sell their licenses and said they must still keep 5 percent of the airwaves for educational purposes. The band to be reorganized over the next three years stretches from 2495 Mhz to 2690 Mhz.
Additionally, the agency lifted limits that had previously prevented certain industries, like the cable providers, from using the airwaves. But the pay television industry will still be barred from offering video service using that spectrum.
Sprint, the No. 4 U.S. long-distance and wireless carrier, had tried to use a slice of the airwaves for fixed broadband services but was unable to make a profit.
Nonetheless, the company was pleased with the new flexibility granted by the FCC.
"We haven't made any final decisions on the direction we're going to take," said Sprint spokesman James Fisher. He declined to detail the possibilities.
Nextel acquired a chunk of airwaves in the band from MCI Inc. when that company was in bankruptcy protection and has indicated it may use the spectrum for wireless broadband service.