Regulator says 4G technology will be in place in host cities for 2014 World Cup

Brazil’s telecoms regulator Anatel says that 4G technology will be available in all host cities for the forthcoming football World Cup in 2014. The agency’s pledge is echoed by the ministry of communications which says that all twelve cities will be offering commercial services to the public by the opening date of the event. Local press quote the minister of communications, Paulo Bernardo, as saying that mobile operators that win 4G frequencies will have up to one year to start the operation of commercial networks and services in all twelve cities hosting the event. Meanwhile, the director of the department of broadband communications, Coimbra Artur de Oliveira, says that the ministry is working with Anatel to ensure that the bidding process for 4G frequencies is carried out in time, suggesting the first round of auctions for 2500MHz spectrum will be held in April 2012. 4G services are expected to cover at least 80% of the metropolitan areas of the host cities involved, Oliveira said, adding optimistically that some networks could even come online in time for the Confederations Cup to be held in the country in 2013.