Brazil's national telecommunications agency ANATEL has approved the framework authorizing using a TV White Area (TVWS).
The brand new TVWS framework was authorised on September 30th and can function as a versatile solution to make environment-friendly use of spectrum whereas defending present and incumbent customers from interference.
As global internet usage continues to rise, this decision marks a significant step towards addressing capacity demands in unserved, or underserved regions.
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".
“The COVID-19 crisis has added additional significance to this decision,” says Martha Suarez, President of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance. “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.”
Enabling the use of White Space is also in line with similar regulatory decisions that have been approved in many other countries, such as United States, Canada, Colombia, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Mozambique, and Kenya.
In the case of Brazil, the board of commissioners has adopted the general rules authorizing the operation of TVWS unlicensed devices on a secondary basis in the UHF and VHF bands (54-72 MHz, 174-216 MHz, 470-608 MHz, and 614-698 MHz). Further developments will take place in the coming months regarding the geolocation database and additional technical specifications of the devices.
