Regulatory Compliance News

Brazil ANATEL Enacts Binding VoLTE Mandates and Phase-Out Rules for Legacy 3G Equipment

Brazil's National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL) finalized its strategic regulatory amendments aimed at phasing out legacy 2G and 3G cellular technologies by issuing Act No. 14430/2024. Following the review of industry feedback submitted during Public Consultation No. 36/2024, the binding act officially modifies the technical requirements under Act No. 3151/2020 and Act No. 3152/2020. The updated framework halts new ANATEL homologations for 3G-only mobile phones, terminal stations, and cellular modules, reflecting Brazil’s broader initiative to re-farm spectral resources toward expanding 4G LTE and 5G network infrastructure nationwide.

Under the enforceable terms of Act No. 14430/2024, which took effect on April 6, 2025, all mobile phones, voice-capable terminal stations, and cellular communication modules applying for new ANATEL type approval must natively support Voice over LTE (VoLTE) technology, including functional support for emergency calls and SMS over IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). The regulation strictly bans new certifications for standalone 2G or 3G personal mobile service devices, allowing narrow exceptions exclusively for specialized automotive spare parts subject to explicit case-by-case authorization from ANATEL’s Certification and Numbering Management (ORCN).

The final framework incorporates protective grandfathering provisions for legacy equipment approved prior to the April 6, 2025 enforcement date. Valid certifications issued for 2G and 3G devices under earlier regulatory regimes remain effective and can undergo standard maintenance renewals, provided the underlying hardware specifications remain unchanged. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and cellular technology suppliers launching new product portfolios in the Brazilian market must integrate native VoLTE capabilities and LTE/5G multi-mode operation into their device designs to fulfill mandatory type approval criteria.