Page 168 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The National Telecommunications Agency (Agencia total represents 6% of the overall 93,159 cell sites in
Nacional de Telecomunicacoes, Anatel) has revoked the country. By 2025, 6,370 5G base stations must be
Claro Brasil’s decade-old 450MHz license, mirroring installed in the state capitals. In total, the state capitals
action taken against Oi and TIM Brasil last month. are home to nearly a quarter of the Brazilian population.
Brazil According to TeleSintese, the watchdog conceded (October 6, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
that – unlike its rivals – Claro did actually utilize the
frequencies. However, Claro’s 450MHz launch – in Anatel’s Board of Directors terminated the authorizations
‘several municipalities’ – was said to be delayed. Claro for the use of the 450MHz band held by Oi and TIM
was given 450MHz spectrum covering rural areas of all Brasil. Oi’s concession covered the states of Goias,
states in the north region, as well as rural parts of Bahia Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul
and Maranhao states and greater Sao Paulo. Previously, and the Federal District, while TIM’s licenses spanned
on 13 September Anatel’s Board of Directors terminated Espirito Santo, Parana, Rio de Janeiro and Santa
the authorizations for the use of the 450MHz band Catarina. Both concessions were issued in 2012, with a
held by Oi and TIM Brasil. Oi’s concession covered the view to providing rural coverage, but neither license was
states of Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, ever used. (September 13, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
Rio Grande do Sul and the Federal District, while TIM’s
licenses spanned Espirito Santo, Parana, Rio de Janeiro The National Telecommunications Agency (Agencia
and Santa Catarina. Both concessions were issued in Nacional de Telecomunicacoes, Anatel) has confirmed
2012, with a view to providing rural coverage, but neither that the country’s national mobile operators are now
license was ever used. (October 11, 2022) www.commsupdate.com able to launch Standalone (SA) 5G services using the
3.5GHz frequency band in Fortaleza (Ceara), Natal
The National Telecommunications Agency (Agencia (Rio Grande do Norte) and Recife (Pernambuco). The
Nacional de Telecomunicacoes, Anatel) has confirmed decision was made on 1 September, following advice
that the country’s national mobile operators are from the government’s Group for the Implementation
permitted to launch Standalone (SA) 5G services of Solutions for Interference Problems (Grupo de
using the 3.5GHz frequency band in a further five state Acompanhamento da Implantacao das Solucoes para
capitals. The latest locations to receive the green os Problemas de Interferencia, GAISPI). SA 5G services
light are as follows: Belem (capital of Para), Macapa are being introduced on a rolling basis in Brazil. The state
(Amapa), Manaus (Amazonas), Porto Velho (Rondonia) capitals with live 5G networks are as follows: Brasilia,
and Rio Branco (Acre). With this action, all 26 state Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Florianopolis, Goiania, Joao
capitals – and federal capital Brasilia – have now Pessoa, Palmas, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador,
been approved for SA 5G connectivity. The watchdog Sao Paulo and Vitoria. On 18 August Anatel’s Board of
notes that a total of 5,275 SA 5G base stations have Directors approved the postponement of the release
been activated in Brazilian capitals to date – double date for 5G frequencies in all other state capitals to 28
the minimum commitment previously established. This October. (September 6, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

The Authority for Info-communications Technology ‘actively’ provide feedback on experience and network
Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) has announced performance. Those interested in taking part in the trial
plans for 5G mobile network trial. In a press release will reportedly be required to have an existing post-paid
regarding the matter, the regulator said it was working plan with their mobile provider and own a 5G-compatible
Brunei with wholesale operator Unified National Networks device. Meanwhile, the AITI notes that UNN is in the
Darussalam (UNN) and retail mobile network operators (MNOs) final stages of completing the full modernization of its
entire infrastructure to be 5G-ready. This modernization
Datastream Digital, Imagine and Progresif to conduct a
trial which would run for up to eight weeks, ahead of a through ‘RAN expansion and broadband network
commercial launch of 5G technology. According to the upgrade’ will reportedly increase the capacity to manage
AITI, the objective of the 5G trial is to allow UNN and the growing traffic and data volume as well as improve
the MNOs to ‘receive and evaluate valuable feedback customer experience in Brunei. Commenting on the
from the trial participants, which will help to facilitate progress made with regards to the modernization of its
end-to-end network and process optimization in order network, UNN CEO Dr Steffen Oehler was cited by RCR
to achieve a satisfactory and successful launch in the Wireless as saying: ‘90% of base stations in the country
near future’. It has been confirmed that each service are already modernized and in place with the technology
provider will select up to one hundred subscribers to start 5G services in the country … The infrastructure
who meet a ‘specific selection criteria’ to become is ready for the 5G launch.’
trial participants, and these users will be required to (September 20, 2022) www.commsupdate.com

168 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022