• Instead of focusing on revenue from the auction, the Federal Government opted to focus on investments in telecommunications, said a source;
• President Jair Bolsonaro said that there is still no decision on the companies that will supply 5G technology in the country and that none is ruled out.

The companies bidding for the 5G auction in Brazil will have to guarantee investments to expand internet access in the country, including the expansion of 12 thousand kilometers of fiber optic networks in the North region, installation of 4G networks in cities with more than 600 residents and coverage in 48 thousand kilometers of roads.

These are the requirements of the Brazilian Ministry of Communications for the 5G auction. “Instead of focusing on revenue from the auction, we focus on investments in telecommunications to improve and expand the network,” said a source.

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Another expansion goal is internet coverage on federal roads, with priority on BRs 163, 364, 242, 135, 101 and 116. Today, 48 thousand kilometers of these roads have no signal, internet or voice coverage. The infrastructure required by the government will be high-speed internet, preferably fiber optics.

The winning companies in the auction will also be required to complete 4G coverage in cities with more than 600 residents who are not currently served by the technology. With the new rules, roaming will be mandatory too.

No company is ruled out, says Bolsonaro

President Jair Bolsonaro said on Saturday that there is still no decision on the companies that will supply 5G technology in the country and that none is ruled out yet.

“No company has been ruled out. We will talk to everyone. Anyone who thinks I’m negotiating 5G with someone in exchange for this or that is in a hurry, there is no negotiation ”, Bolsonaro said to journalists, when leaving the store he visited in Brasília.

Translated by LABS.