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Few cell phones in Brazil support standalone 5G

Telecoms regulator Anatel says technology will require certain amount of time

08/01/2022

Moisés Moreira — Foto: Geraldo Magela/Agência Senado

Moisés Moreira — Foto: Geraldo Magela/Agência Senado

Less than 5% of cell phones in operation in Brazil are ready to receive the standalone 5G signal, which was launched Friday in Porto Alegre, João Pessoa and Belo Horizonte. The warning has been repeated by Moisés Moreira, the director of the Brazilian Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (Anatel), in an attempt to lower expectations at this first moment.

In Mr. Moreira’s view, phone companies must make it clear to their clients if the devices in use are prepared for standalone 5G, the most sophisticated version of the new technology, and if it will be necessary to change the chip. “Don’t expect 5G technology to arrive in a big way right now. On the contrary, it demands a certain amount of time,” he told Valor.

Brasília has had standalone 5G since July 6. The signal is offered over the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) band. Anatel has received reports of frustrated users who have had an experience not very different from that of 4G, in addition to encountering many “shadow” areas (without 5G signal).

“Operators are not changing the chip yet, nor are they marketing exclusive plans for 5G. So far, they only have the obligation to effectively turn on the signal by the end of September. So Anatel still can’t fine them for not meeting quality standards,” he said.

Days after the 5G debut in Brasília, Vinicius Caram, one of Anatel’s technicians involved in the implementation, told Valor that users would now only have a “tasting.” He said that the moment is for “fine tuning” or network “optimization.”

Mr. Moisés reinforced that, among the capital cities that are yet to receive standalone 5G, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, Goiânia and Salvador are the ones with “more advanced” work to prevent interference. However, he stated that there is still no defined date.

Regarding the monitoring of the quality, Gustavo Borges, Anatel’s head of control of regulatory obligations, told Valor that, besides checking the number of antennas, the “coverage map” of telecom companies will be evaluated.

“The number of antennas is an objective commitment in the call for bids. By observing the map, we will know if in fact there is signal where availability is declared,” said Mr. Borges. He said that after September 29, the agency will start measuring technical parameters to verify network performance: speed, latency, jitter and packet loss. This involves comparison with international standards.

Mr. Borges said that, even without the commercial launch of 5G plans, Anatel already monitors consumer complaints. The collection of indicators will result in the production of the quality seal A, B, C, D or E for each provider, in each municipality, to be unveiled in 2023.

Most 5G handsets available on the market already offer access to networks that simulate 5G by dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS). With the arrival of 5G networks in new capital cities, users will be able to automatically use the 5G NSA networks, without changing chips or plans, operators and manufacturers told Valor. This option uses the 3.5 GHz network with the pre-existing network structure already used by phone carriers, without the performance of the very low latency offered by 5G SA.

The pure 5G networks require the use of a specific chip and plan, according to information from América Móvil’s Claro, and compatible phones. Currently, this is the case for six Motorola and three Samsung models. The iPhones 12 and 13, launched in November 2020 and 2021, respectively, by Apple, are not prepared for standalone 5G networks in the country.

For the consumer, the difference in latency, or response time, between a device with 5G NSA and with 5G SA is not significant, says Thiago Masuchette, head of product at Motorola.

“You will have a latency difference of 10 milliseconds, on a 5G DSS or NSA, to 1 millisecond on 5G SA,” he explains. Tests done by the manufacturer indicate that the speed does not change between a standalone 5G and a 5G NSA, but the indicator will vary depending on the network quality of the carrier.

In practice, “the frequency and bandwidth that each carrier won in the bidding will interfere with the maximum speed that the consumer can have in the plan,” says Mr. Masuchette.

Today, 60% of Motorola’s portfolio is compatible with 5G networks, according to the executive. Among the six devices that are also compatible with SA networks, currently, the average price ranges from R$2,000 for the Moto G62 model, to R$5,000 for the Edge 30 model, top of the line of the brand.

*By Rafael Bitencourt, Daniela Braun — Brasília, São Paulo

https://valorinternational.globo.com/
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Telecoms regulator approves Oi’s mobile sale to rivals Vivo, TIM, Claro

Deal closed for R$ 16.5 billion will have conditions and depends on antitrust watchdog Cade

01/02/2022

The board of directors of the Brazilian Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (Anatel) approved unanimously on Monday the purchase of Oi’s mobile services operation by the consortium formed by telecoms Vivo, TIM and Claro. The agency established conditions for the transaction, such as compliance with the General Plan of Universalization Goals (PGMU) and ending, in 18 months, with overlapping frequencies. The asset was sold in a judicial auction for R$16.5 billion.

Oi stated, in a material fact notice, that the sale of these assets represents an important step in the amendment to the company’s judicial recovery plan.

According to the company, the effective conclusion of the transaction is subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions established by Anatel and still needs to be approved by antitrust regulator CADE.

Emmanoel Campelo — Foto: Divulgação/Anatel

Emmanoel Campelo — Foto: Divulgação/Anatel

The trial of the case had started last Friday with the reading of the opinion of rappourter Emmanoel Campelo, but the voting did not start because colleague Vicente Aquino requested more time to study the matter.

On Monday, the request for prior consent of the transaction was approved with the vote of Mr. Aquino, who presented only some wording adjustments and additions to the conditions and determinations (competition remedies) proposed by Mr. Campelo. The adjustments were accepted by the rapporteur himself and the directors Carlos Baigorri and Moisés Moreira.

One of the changes is related to the guarantee of compliance with the General Plan for Universalization Goals (PGMU IV, 2018), which is now assumed by the three purchasing operators.

Mr. Aquino said that, with the suggested wording adjustment, it will be possible to guarantee the offer of “internet connection with 4G technology, or higher, via industrial exploitation and wireless access arrangement” in the locations covered by the plan until the end of the fixed telephony concession (STFC) term.

The problem, according to him, is in the reference to the obligations of OI S/A, which is the concessionaire of (STFC) and responsible for the PGMU IV. With the concern of protecting small providers, Mr. Aquino recommended that the maintenance of the wholesale product offers, through a national roaming agreement, be submitted by the three Oi competitors to Anatel´s Superintendence of Competition. The idea came from the technical area, was presented by Mr. Campelo and, on Monday, it was approved after undergoing adjustments suggested by a colleague on the board.

“I consider this determination commendable. National roaming is extremely important for regional providers and for new entrants who do not yet have their own networks across the country,” said Mr. Aquino. According to him, this allows customers of small providers, who have just entered the mobile telephony market, to make calls when leaving their State of origin.

Mr. Aquino also defended “isonomic and non-discriminatory” treatment should be applied to the modality of mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) – which is the offer of mobile telephony by those who do not own the network, but “rent” the infrastructure of a large operator.

On Friday, Campelo demanded that the three telecom companies present a communication plan aimed at Oi’s customer base that will be absorbed after the transaction. According to the counselor, the communication plan for users will ensure the broad right to portability and prohibits automatic migration and imposition of contractual burden but does not rule out the possibility of additional measures by Anatel, and will be monitored by the agency’s Superintendence of Consumer Monitoring, with support from the National Consumer Defense System, of the Ministry of Justice.

The Neo Association, which brings together internet and pay-TV providers, such as Brisanet, Algar, and Sercomtel, reported that “it was already waiting for approval and that the biggest battle will be at CADE.”

According to Neo, although any interested party in the process can still file an appeal for annulment of the decision at the agency, the association will now focus on actions for CADE to adopt stricter measures to ensure competition in the sector. The smaller providers believe they will be harmed by Oi Móvel’ sale.

Ademir Pereira, a partner at Del Chiaro Law Firm and Neo’s representative at CADE, considered the conditions “insufficient”. Neo defends the alienation of part of the operator’s assets, which could be done with regional spectrum slicing.

The president of Copel/Sercomtel, Wendel Oliveira, regrets Anatel’s decision. “I see it with concern, there is a problem with competitiveness, which will certainly be affected,” he said.

The president of the Federation of Call Centers, Telecommunications and IT Network Infrastructure Installation and Maintenance (Feninfra), Vivien Suruagy, said that the entity was satisfied with the approval of the transaction and that this is important to preserve Oi and maintain jobs.

Source: Valor International

https://valorinternational.globo.com
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