Brazil’s telecoms regulator Agencia Nacional de Telecomunicacoes (Anatel) says it will begin the process of reviewing proposals for the country’s upcoming tender of 2.5GHz and 450MHz mobile spectrum for 4G services on 5 June. BNAmericas quotes an unnamed official at Anatel as saying that at the same date, the watchdog will confirm the date when the spectrum licences will be awarded. The announcement comes roughly a week after Anatel president Joao Rezende said that the tenders would be awarded on 12 June. That date is now looking less likely, however.
The bidding rules for the 4G auction will be published on 26 April and on 5 June Anatel will begin studying prospective bidders’ identification and tax compliance documentation, as well as considering price proposals and other related information. No details have been given on how long the review process will take.
Earlier this month, TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate reported that Anatel had approved plans to conduct an auction of radio frequencies suitable for fourth-generation wireless services in the country. Under the tender outline, carriers which secure 4G spectrum will be required to launch services in the six Brazilian cities hosting soccer’s Confederations Cup by April 2013, and in the twelve host cities for the 2014 Football World Cup, by the end of 2013. The country’s five leading cellcos – Telefonica Brazil (Vivo), TIM Participacoes (TIM Brasil), Telecom Americas (Claro), Telemar Norte Leste (Oi) and NII Holdings’ Nextel Brasil – are all expected to participate in the auction, while Sky Brasil (part of the DirecTV group) may also take part.
Anatel intends to sell off frequencies in the 2.5GHz band and the 450MHz band, with the latter being deployed to boost rural coverage. Anatel commissioner Marcelo Bechara says that the watchdog expects that the bandwidth on offer will be sufficient to allow three or four carriers to provide nationwide coverage.