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South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 1-800-277-3245

Why Now?

In 2006, the final ruling of the FCC mandated that ETV's analog ITFS educational closed-circuit channels move to a more efficient digital Educational Broadband Service (EBS).

Visit the FCC site to learn more about EBS.

The FCC incorporated a process to help educational channel users like ETV transition their existing analog channels and move to a digital allocation of channels.

• ETV and South Carolina Department of Education decided to upgrade the DELC analog broadcast to a new Digital Education Services (DES), using live and archive video on-demand streaming systems, instead of broadcast. Visit and learn the cost and features of ETV’s IPETV District Wide Streaming Media Service
• As part of the FCC process, funding was made available, which enabled ETV to upgrade to DES in approximately a third of the districts.  (see map below) .
• Districts can request ETV to acquire and install the IP Streaming equipment and services to deliver educational content through school districts existing computer networks.
• ETV is working with each district individually to assure the upgrades are a quality and workable solutions.

Because the FCC intended the new digital EBS channels to offer a wireless broadband internet service, ETV and the state recently negotiated a lease contract for two companies to build out this new broadband system.  The two broadband providers are Clearwire and Digital Bridge.

Meanwhile, to assure required FCC educational substantial service on ETV's EBS channels, ETV will temporarily provide a single channel of programming on the old EBS system until the new wireless broadband systems are built throughout the state. When applicable, the single EBS channels will tie into the new IP streaming systems.  Pending the IP Systems being installed, non-IP district will instead rely on broadcast delivery of educational content. When the new broadband service is available in the state, ETV will switch from the broadcast channel to free broadband services specifically delegated to offer educational programming.

ETV's Current Installed District IP Systems