Tender notice for the 6 GHz band goes to public consultation

By Anatel The Board of Directors of the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) has approved the submission to Public Consultation of the draft Bidding Notice for authorization to use radio frequencies in the sub-band from 6,425 MHz to 7,125 MHz, corresponding to the upper portion of the 6 GHz band. Contributions may be submitted through the Participa Anatel platform after the measure is published in the Federal Official Gazette (DOU). The proposal includes 700 MHz of spectrum, divided into three 200 MHz blocks and one 100 MHz block, in national and regional lots. The planning presented provides for the auction to be held by 2028. It also includes commitments related to the deployment of transport networks and the expansion of mobile coverage in municipalities and localities that are still not adequately served. Regional digital infrastructure The proposal provides for the implementation of regional data centers as part of the Regional Digital Infrastructure Commitment, together with the other elements set out in the model. The proposal establishes the Regional Digital Infrastructure Commitment, aimed at the implementation of data centers in the North, Northeast, and Center-West regions, covering two types: regional hubs (Neutral Regional Cores), intended for traffic aggregation and exchange, and edge Data Centers (Edge Nodes), smaller structures located in key municipalities in the interior. In the Neutral Regional Hubs, traffic interconnection points and access conditions are planned for small-scale providers and public entities that operate in the areas of health, education, and security. According to the proposal submitted to the Public Consultation, the data processing and interconnection infrastructure is unevenly distributed across the regions of the Country. This distribution causes part of the traffic generated in certain locations to travel longer distances before reaching processing and interconnection points. The proposal establishes criteria to assess the need to use the funds linked to the commitment. Among them is the so-called additionality test, which aims to confirm the project's economic feasibility gap by checking for the existence of private projects planned for a given location. The implementation and operation of the structures may be carried out by specialized companies selected through a competitive public call, in accordance with the requirements set out in the proposal. Access and monitoring The infrastructure supported by the resources from the bidding process must operate under an open, neutral, and non-discriminatory access regime for the period set out in the proposal. The proposal also establishes mechanisms for monitoring the execution of the projects, including verification of expenditures, performance indicators, external auditing, and disclosure of information on contracts and execution. Social participation During the public consultation, companies, organizations, specialists, public bodies, and other interested parties will be able to submit contributions to the proposal. Two public hearings are also planned, in São Paulo and Brasília, to discuss the auction's design, the associated commitments, and the technical conditions for use of the band. The contributions received will be analyzed by the Agency and may support changes to the proposal before the final approval of the notice. Note: the publication is strictly informational and technical in nature, with the purpose of communicating the opening of a public consultation regarding the proposed bidding notice for authorization to use radio frequencies in the 6,425 MHz to 7,125 MHz sub-band, as well as guiding interested parties on the mechanisms for social participation and the topics submitted for public review.