The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) complimented ANATEL on the decision and said it "marks a significant step towards addressing capacity demands in unserved, or underserved regions".
It's anticipated that the spectrum will mostly be utilised by smaller ISPs and community network operators.
Martha Suarez, president of the DSA said: “Access to TVWS will facilitate smaller Internet Service Providers (ISP)s and community networks operating in underserved areas to connect remote and vulnerable communities to vital services, leading to more digital inclusion.”
The move puts Brazil alongside the US, UK and Canada, which have all previously approved the use of TV white space. In the case of Brazil, the board of commissioners adopted a set of rules for the authorisation of TVWS on a secondary basis in the UHF and VHF bands (54-72 MHz, 174-216 MHz, 470-608 MHz and 614-698 MHz).
“The decision to authorise TVWS further consolidates Brazil’s position as a leader in the development of communication strategies worldwide, enabling innovation, new use cases and considerable benefits for Brazilians and the national economy,” added Suarez.
This news broke as ANATEL prepares for its "largest spectrum auction ever", expected to take place on 4 November and raise around 10 billion reais ($1.87 billion) based on minimum bids.
Blocks will be auctioned across four frequency bands: 700MHz, 2.3 GHz, 3.5GHz and 26GHz over 20 years and winning bidders must invest close to 40 billion reais in 5G infrastructure.
Brazil’s communications minister Fabio Faria said that Sao Paolo and other large Brazilian cities will have access to 5G technology by the end of the year. He added that all state capitals will have 5G networks working by July 2022.
The country also recently stated that it would still use Huawei infrastructure despite warnings from US authorities to implement restrictions on the Chinese vendor’s 5G network.
