The National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) confirmed, today (27), that operators will be able to activate their 5G mobile internet networks in Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre and João Pessoa starting this Friday (29).

The date was defined by the Monitoring Group for the Implementation of Solutions for Interference Problems in the 3,625 to 3,700 MHz band (Gaispi), in a meeting this morning. The group is made up of representatives from Anatel, the Ministry of Communications and companies, including broadcasting companies affected by the project.

The three capitals are added to Brasília, where 5G was activated on July 6. Since then, according to Anatel's advisers, coverage in the federal capital has been expanding rapidly, with network optimization following the schedule that establishes the maximum deadlines for companies to install new stations. As in Brasília, the area served in the other three locations already authorized will be expanded little by little.

“It is also important for the user to contact its operator to find out if its device is able to receive the signal or if it will be necessary to change the chip or make some other change”, recommended the president of Gaispi, Moisés Moreira.

Extension
Gaispi will meet again on August 10, when the councilors will evaluate the release of the 5G signal in other capitals. Initially, the public notice for the 5G auction provided that the infrastructure necessary for the activation of the signal should take place by July 31, in all capitals, but Gaispi himself asked Anatel to extend the deadline by 60 days in order to circumvent logistical problems that delayed the delivery of equipment imported from China.

Despite the extension of the initial deadline, the president of Gaispi remains optimistic. According to Moreira, the expectation is that the signal will be active in all other capitals by the end of August.

In the evaluation of Gaispi, both in Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre and João Pessoa, as well as in Brasília, the minimum requirements necessary for the release of the 3.5 GHz band were met, such as carrying out preliminary tests to identify and remedy the possibility of the signal of 5G affect the reception of domestic satellite dishes or even professional systems, such as satellite signals broadcast on adjacent frequencies.

“Tests are carried out during which the signal is turned on for some time to assess the effectiveness of the filters installed [by the Entity Administrator of the Band (EAF), from Anatel itself]. This has already been done in the four capitals [where the signal has already been activated], on an experimental basis, and we are evaluating whether it will be necessary to monitor the possibility of interference for a while longer”, explained Alex Pires de Azevedo, from the 3rd Eviction technical group. .5 GHz and Gaispi Interference Mitigation. He said that for the start of operations it is necessary to “clean up” the 5G spectrum bands currently occupied by satellite services.

To circumvent possible interference caused by citizens who use satellite dishes of the so-called Band C, the Band Administrator Entity (EAF) of Anatel created a program to distribute, free of charge, to needy families in Brazilian capitals and who are registered in the Single Registry for Federal Government Social Programs, kits containing new digital antennas, converters and cables. Ordering the kit and installing the devices can be done through the Kit Distribution Program website, created by EFA.