Beginning of operation: March 2008

Initial Coverage: Belém, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Goiânia, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Luís and São Paulo. (12 cities)

Embratel's WiMax net will be implemented in 61 cities through 1,018 Cell Sites and possible expansion to a total of 200 cities. Investments of R$ 175 million.

Target market: segment of Small and medium companies

Telefônica, Motorola and Intel started in 10/24//08, WiMAX tecnnology test in São Paulo.

The test-program, which has 3 months time line extendable for 3 months more, suppling about 150 clients in Pinheiros and Jardins regions.

Using the 2.5 gigahertz frequency for operation in MMDS (Pay TV) which Telefonica acquired from TVA, the tested service will offer internet access via broadband - with speed of 2Mbps for download and 600kbps for upload - through the signal sent by three Cell Sites installed in the region, in the Butantã streets, Pinheiros and Bela Cintra.

TVA had already done a trial for Wimax net, IEEE 802.16e standard, with Samsung in 2006 in São Paulo - SP, and in Curitiba - PR. Anatel, through the Acts 66.816, 66.819 and 66.824 of 08/28/07, extended the deadline for TVA to continue to avaluate the transmition system and signal reception in Wimax technology.

During the 14th Encontrol Tele.Sintese, Anatel presented a proposal for a new model of licitation for 3,5 GHz frequencies to be presented to Anatel Concil:

• Frequency bands of 5 MHz (Nowadays they are 1,5 MHz).
• Each company can have the maximun of 30 MHz. (Nowadays 10 MHz).
• Part of the band for city halls and digital inclusion use.
• Migration from current contract to the new model.
• Mobility will afect the minimum price.

The licitation might happen in 2009.

Tenders 002/2006

Anatel opened in 07/13/2006 tender to outorged the authorization of use of the radio-frequency blocks of 3.5 GHz and 10.5 GHz associate to the authorization of SCM or STFC. It's been offered blocks of frequencies to the regions I, II and III of the General Plan of Outorgas and blocks of frequency per area of numeration (code DDD).

In 08/15/2006 Minicom requested the suspension of the licitation with the objective of regulate the politics that the Ministry of Communications is doing to promotion of the Program of Digital Inclusion to the shares of the Agency. The suspension wasn't approved by the Managing Advice of Anatel.

The proclamation restricted the participation of STFC concessionaires, in the modality of local service, as well as it controllers, controlled or joint. They couldn't present financial proposals to the areas in which have concession. These companies, however, have gotten in 08/30/06, through Abrafix, an authorization in the justice suspending this restriction.Anatel appealed but has been defeated in some instances. The last one was in 01/08/07 when the sixth group of the Federal Regional Court 1st Region (Brazilia) denied the provisions presented by Anatel.

The proposals were given in 09/04/2006 per 100 companies.

Consult the Act and relation of registered.

The opening of the financial proposals, forseen to 09/18/2006, was suspended by TCU, that alleged to have an imbalance in the value of US$ used in the determination of the minimum prices defined in the edital. Anatel presented its defense and wait authorization of TCU to continue the process.

In 12/06/2006 the Ministry of TCU Marcos Vilaça asked for attention in the process, and postponed TCU's decision about the licitation to January, 2007.

In Jun/08, Anatel revokes this licitation.

Follow the process in the Teleco's Blog

More information: Licitation nº 002/2006/SPV

By this mesure, remains open the possibility to carry out a new licitation in other models. One of the points in this discussion is the destination of the band of 3.5 GHz for SMP, what would regulate the mobility use of Wimax.

Five companies (Icatel, Trópico, Asga, Padtec and Parks) got together in Decmber/07 to produce and commercialize Wimax in Brazil.

A joint venture will be built, with CPqD and Ceitec, will receive R$ 30 million from Funttel (Fund for the Development of Telecommunication Technology).

Anatel, through the Act 67.860 of 10/09/07 authorized BrT to test Wimax in 3,5 GHz frequencies in São Paulo City for 6 months.