Brazilian capital Brasilia is to lead the way in the country’s 5G rollout with the launch of a 3.5GHz 5G network on Wednesday 6 July.
The 3.5GHz frequency spectrum was sold at auction in November last year. It had been hoped that all 27 Brazilian state capitals would be launching 5G by the end of July.
However, blaming a lack of 5G-related equipment due to a global shortage of semiconductors, and also delays in customs clearance, Brazil extended the 5G launch deadline for the country’s capitals.
In June a postponement was recommended to the Board of Directors of the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) by the technical group that coordinates the deployment of 5G internet in the country, Gaispi. The deadline is now 29 September.
This doesn’t seem to apply to Brasilia. According to the Brazilian Report news resource, Gaispi, whose official title is the Monitoring Group for the Implementation of Solutions for Interference Problems in the 3,625 to 3,700MHz band, has said that Brasilia requires less equipment than other cities. Thus the Brazilian capital will be 5G-ready before the rest of the country. Whether this rollout will be carried out by some or all of the spectrum-winning operators has not been reported.
However, local news outlets are reporting that a joint venture by the 3.5GHz spectrum winners – Claro, Vivo, and TIM – says it is installing filters on 5G antennas to avoid interference with satellite dish signals; satellite dishes are used by some 20 million households in Brazil. The filters will also, it is claimed, aid the safe deployment of 5G around airports.
