Claro using Ericsson’s Dynamic Spectrum Sharing technology
Brazilian mobile operator Claro, owned by Mexican telecommunications group America Movil, announced it will start offering 5G services in limited areas in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on July 14.
In Sao Paulo, 5G services will be available in Avenida Paulista and Jardins, while the service would be gradually deployed in other districts including Campo Belo, Vila Madalena, Pinheiros, Itaim, Moema, Brooklin, Vila Olimpia, Cerqueira César, Paraíso, Ibirapuera, and Santo Amaro.
Meanwhile, 5G coverage in Rio de Janeiro will initially reach Ipanema, Leblon and Lagoa. In a second phase, 5G will also reach other areas including Leme, Barra da Tijuca, Jardim Oceanico, Joa, Sao Conrado and Copacabana.
Claro launched its 5G network using a combination of 700MHz, 1800MHz and 2.5GHz spectrum.
“The path towards the ultimate 5G solution will be a long one and will still require a lot of investment, work and time to be deployed across the country. But in the future, with more spectrum, more antennas and a new network topology, the 5G will be a vehicle for a major transformation, connecting people and sensors through a high-capacity, low-latency mobile network, capable of automating and controlling more diverse activities of society”, Claro said in a statement.
The telco is using dynamic spectrum sharing technology from Ericsson to deliver 5G services via the same spectrum used for its LTE-A network.
Testing of DSS technology began in October 2019, in partnership with Ericsson, Qualcomm and Motorola.
Brazilian telecommunications regulator Anatel expects to hold an auction to award 5G spectrum by the end of 2020 or in the first months of next year. Even before COVID-19, the 5G spectrum auction schedule had been postponed from its initial March 2020 date, given the need to further investigate interference with other signals.
Late in March, Anatel indefinitely halted field tests for the 3.5 GHz frequency.
Anatel had previously confirmed that it would award spectrum in the 2.3 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands.
Brazil is proving to be a popular destination for 5G equipment vendors. Both Ericsson and Nokia have demonstrated significant interest in the South American country, with the former announcing plans to invest $238.3 million to install a new assembly line for 5G the country, and the latter hoping to attract opportunities in the market with the future auction of 5G spectrum. In fact, in a previous interview with Reuters, Nokia’s CTO in Latin America Wilson Cardoso, called Brazil’s 5G spectrum auction “the world’s biggest-ever.”
