ANATEL has issued Official Letter No. 246/2025 (Aug 20th, 2025), revoking the temporary authorization that allowed the approval of equipment operating in Band 2 (FDD, 1880–1920 MHz).

Resolution No. 757/2022 had already restricted the 1880–1920 MHz range to TDD-only systems, removing Band 2 (FDD) from eligibility and leaving only Band 39 (TDD) for certification.

A temporary authorization was previously granted for Band 2 approvals until June 1, 2026.

Now, ANATEL has revoked this authorization after confirming that:

No base stations are currently authorized or operating in Band 2 (FDD) in Brazil.

No future authorizations will be issued for this band.

Impact on Certification

New applications: OCDs are instructed not to approve or list Band 2 1900MHz (FDD).

Renewals: OCDs must remove Band 2 (FDD) if it was included in past approvals.

Only Band 39 (TDD) remains valid for certification in this frequency range.

Official Justification

ANATEL reaffirmed that the current regulation (Resolution No. 773/2025) maintains the 1880–1920 MHz range exclusively for TDD systems. Since no operators hold authorizations for FDD in this band, maintaining certification is unnecessary.

Related authority link:

https://sei.anatel.gov.br/sei/modulos/pesquisa/md_pesq_documento_consulta_externa.php?8-74Kn1tDR89f1Q7RjX8EYU46IzCFD26Q9Xx5QNDbqYdciYWwOl8C31wIixI3gtEWdysS1RIS6CSP_uy41qdS_2medprBUdB4rcmOwSXzP8M6-yiFrJSx2vmkW0UpsUs

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Official Letter 246/2025 text in English:

1.    In response to the electronic correspondence received from this Committee of Designated Certification Bodies (SEI No. 14198353) regarding clarifications on the continuity of certification for FDD equipment operating in the former L sub-band of the Regulation on the Conditions of Use of Radio Frequencies in the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, and 2100 MHz bands, we inform the following:

2.    In the Brazilian channeling arrangement, the now-revoked Regulation on the Conditions of Use of Radio Frequencies, approved by Resolution No. 454 of December 11, 2006, provided for the use of the L sub-band (1895 MHz to 1900 MHz uplink / 1975 MHz to 1980 MHz downlink) by FDD systems for the provision of the Personal Mobile Service, which allowed the operation of SMP FDD transceivers in the 1895 MHz to 1900 MHz range.

3.    The Regulation on the Conditions of Use of Radio Frequencies approved by Resolution No. 757 of November 8, 2022, revoked Resolution No. 454/2006 and established, in Section VIII, that the band between 1880 MHz and 1920 MHz could only be used by TDD technology systems, impacting FDD systems that might operate with uplink in the 1895 MHz to 1900 MHz range.

4.    However, Article 31 of the regulation approved by Resolution No. 757/2022 established a transition rule specifying that, in the sub-bands of 1920 MHz to 1980 MHz and 2110 MHz to 2170 MHz, systems previously authorized under Resolution No. 454/2006 could continue operating under the conditions in force on the date of their respective frequency-use authorization, until June 1, 2026, or until the expiration of the authorization term, whichever came first.

5.    Based on this rule, it was understood that FDD systems authorized to operate in the L sub-band during the validity of Resolution No. 454/2006 could remain in operation until the deadline mentioned in the previous paragraph.

6.    Nonetheless, in a recent consultation with the Spectrum, Orbit, and Broadcasting Management Office (ORER), it was clarified that the rule contained in Article 31 would not apply to systems authorized to operate in the L sub-band, since it only covered the downlink portion of the L sub-band (1975 MHz to 1980 MHz), and not its uplink portion (1895 MHz to 1900 MHz). Furthermore, during ORER’s studies to prepare the channeling plan for the regulation approved by Resolution No. 757/2022, it was identified that no companies were authorized to operate in the L sub-band; therefore, this channeling was not included in the regulation approved by Resolution No. 757/2022.

7.    More recently, the regulation was updated by Resolution No. 773 of January 16, 2025, which revoked the regulation approved by Resolution No. 757/2022. The current version of the regulation maintains the band between 1880 MHz and 1920 MHz for exclusive use by TDD systems.

8.    Therefore, since the current regulation does not allow the use of FDD duplexing in the 1,880 MHz to 1,920 MHz band, the certification of new equipment with such technical characteristics, as well as the renewal of certifications already granted, is no longer permitted. For this reason, and considering that there are currently no companies authorized to operate in the former L band, Anatel’s Certification and Numbering Management Office (ORCN) informs that there is no longer a need to maintain the certification of FDD products operating in the 1880 MHz to 1920 MHz band for the purpose of supporting the operation of past authorizations.