Anatel begins work on shutting down 2G and 3G mobile networks; understand the change

Anatel is published in the Official Gazette of the Union today (3). Receive subsidies for disconnecting 2G and 3G mobile internet connections. The idea is to replace the old standards with 4G and 5G, which have been implemented in the country for more than a year.

It will hear comments and suggestions from companies and the public on issues such as granting subsidies, a mechanism that enables public participation in the preliminary stages of the regulatory process, and the impact of the end of 2G and 3G.

Anatel’s Grants and Supply Sources Inspector wants to know, for example, what measures operators, manufacturers, users and the institution itself can take to encourage technological transition.

Experts and the public will still be able to give their opinion on whether decertifying only devices compatible with 2G and 3G would be a valid measure to encourage the transition and whether there are other issues that Anatel should take into account in this operation.

Those who want to talk about the subject can access Anatel’s special page. The website also includes the full text of the proposal.

Justifications

Anatel’s Grant and Resource Procurement Directorate offers various reasons for terminating the project’s 2G and 3G connections.

According to the organization, blocking legacy mobile connections “is a necessary step in favor of the country’s digital transformation and to meet the demands of new applications and business models in a way that will directly benefit consumers, various economic sectors and industry.”

The regulator also argues that mobile phones and other devices that only work with 2G and 3G use the spectrum “less efficiently”. and that’s why they become obsolete. The inspector argues that maintaining the networks imposes heavy costs due to lack of efficiency.

The institution points out that it should be taken into consideration that the majority of currently active mobile access is new 4G technologies, that 5G is becoming widespread in the country and that planning should be made for the efficient use of the spectrum.