Brazil plans to hold 5G auction by June 2020

Brazil’s acting Minister of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communications Júlio Semeghini said the government plans to hold the auction for 5G technology by June next year.

At the Smart City Expo Brasil, which took place in São Paulo on Monday (Jul 22), he said that the innovation will be key to implementing smart city projects.

Brazil’s acting Minister of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communications Júlio Semeghini – Antonio Cruz / Agência Brasil

“The 5G model to be installed brings with it a national vision with the use of the electromagnetic spectrum and an opportunity to use higher frequencies for regional work. This is crucial,” he pointed out. On July 7, the Brazilian government launched a public consultation to give society a say on the plan to implement 5G in the country.

Smart cities

Addressing an audience formed by municipal leaders and tech executives, Semeghini mentioned the government’s proposal to use the fund for the universal access to telecom services as a source of resources to finance smart city projects. “We will be doing a presentation in August and speed up the debate in Congress. [The proposal includes] a bill that must be changed so we can have part of this nearly $540 million a year that’s collected by not invested,” he said.

The expo is slated to end on July 24. The event brings together specialists and leaders of innovative initiatives that may be implemented in smart city projects.