Anatel Public Consultations No. 41/2026 and No. 42/2026 form a regulatory package intended to enable Standard Power Wi-Fi in outdoor environments in the 5,925 MHz to 6,425 MHz band, using automated frequency coordination. The first proposal focuses mainly on devices and how they would be certified and tested. The second defines how AFC Systems would operate, be tested, and be registered, with AFC responsible for telling each device which frequencies and power levels may be used at its location. Both consultations opened on September 25, 2026, and Participa Anatel lists the closing time as December 3, 2026, at 23:59:59.
This is not yet a general authorization already in force for deploying outdoor Wi-Fi 7 at standard power. The texts are under public consultation and may change before final acts are issued. The central goal of the proposals is to allow higher-power outdoor use while maintaining protection for radiocommunication systems already operating in the same band.
How Consultation 41 differs from Consultation 42
| Consultation | Main focus | Who should follow it closely |
|---|---|---|
| PC 41/2026 | Technical requirements and test procedures for certification of Standard Power Access Points and Fixed Client Devices with AFC. The draft changes requirements under Act No. 14,448/2017 and test procedures under Act No. 237/2022. | Manufacturers, importers, laboratories, organizations involved in conformity assessment, and companies planning to deploy standard-power outdoor Wi-Fi equipment. |
| PC 42/2026 | Technical and operational requirements, security, testing, and the registration process for AFC Systems in the 5,925 MHz to 6,425 MHz band. | Companies interested in operating AFC systems, network providers and integrators, neutral-host infrastructure operators, and organizations that depend on coordinated outdoor connectivity. |
What PC 41 proposes for devices
Consultation 41 introduces, in draft form, the Standard Power Access Point and the Fixed Client Device. Both would operate between 5,925 MHz and 6,425 MHz, in a fixed position, with geolocation capability and only on frequencies and power levels authorized by an AFC System. The access point could communicate directly with the AFC or use a proxy.
Among the proposed parameters, the maximum average EIRP would be 36 dBm for the Standard Power Access Point and the Fixed Client Device. For outdoor operation, the draft adds a 21 dBm limit at elevation angles above 30 degrees from the horizon. Client equipment controlled by the access point would have a 30 dBm limit and would also need to remain 6 dB below the power authorized by the AFC for the associated access point.
Before transmitting in standard-power mode, a device would have to register with an AFC System authorized by Anatel. The request would include geographic coordinates, antenna height, serial number, and Anatel approval number. The proposal requires secure communication using HTTPS and TLS 1.2 or higher, and an AFC check at least once every 24 hours. If contact with the AFC fails, the draft allows the device to continue operating only until 23:59 on the following day, when transmission would have to stop until a new list of authorized frequencies and power levels is obtained.
PC 41 also proposes restrictions consistent with fixed installation. Standard Power Access Points and Fixed Client Devices could not operate on oil extraction platforms, land vehicles, vessels, or aircraft. The draft also allows neutral outdoor Wi-Fi infrastructure in which the same infrastructure can serve users associated with different telecom carriers, providers, or other entities, without creating exclusivity over a channel or radiofrequency.
What PC 42 proposes for the AFC System
The AFC System is the component that coordinates spectrum use. Under the Consultation 42 draft, it would use data from Anatel's Technical and Administrative Database, known as BDTA, together with information from the device itself to calculate which frequencies and power levels may be released for a location and time period. The purpose is to comply with protection criteria for incumbent systems already using the band.
The proposal requires daily updates of data extracted from the BDTA. The AFC would have to calculate power starting from a maximum EIRP of 36 dBm and be able to reduce it at least to 21 dBm, in steps no greater than 3 dB. Anatel could also define exclusion areas where standard-power use would not be allowed, regardless of propagation calculations.
When technically available and consistent with protection criteria, the AFC could indicate contiguous blocks compatible with channel widths up to 320 MHz. That indication, however, would not create a reservation, preference, or exclusivity over the frequency for a device, operator, or provider.
The draft also establishes security and continuity controls. Communication between AFC and devices must use HTTPS with TLS 1.2 or higher, data must be protected against unauthorized access and modification, and the servers hosting the AFC System must be located in Brazil, subject to Brazilian jurisdiction, Anatel oversight, and the LGPD. The proposal allows multiple AFC operators, with no territorial or frequency exclusivity.
For AFC System registration, PC 42 proposes three consecutive phases: application, testing and evaluation, and registration. In the first phase, the company provides legal information, responsible contacts, architecture, security details, third parties involved, and evidence of technical capability. In the second, the system undergoes testing at a laboratory authorized by Anatel. After approval, the entity may be qualified and formally registered as an AFC operator.
Which outdoor uses are part of the debate
Anatel's announcement mentions end-user connectivity, utilities, industry, logistics, the Internet of Things, and public services. The model also covers public spaces, industrial areas, rural areas, and other large outdoor environments. In practice, the debate matters to projects that need high-capacity local coverage outside buildings while also having to coexist with other radiocommunication systems.
Wi-Fi 7 appears in this context because the generation supports very wide channels and high-capacity applications, but the consultation does not promise speed, range, or commercial availability. Real network performance will depend on certified equipment, radio design, local channel availability, AFC-authorized power, transport infrastructure, and the conditions set by the final rule.
How to participate in Consultations 41 and 42
- Access Participa Anatel, the Agency's official social participation platform.
- Sign in with a gov.br account. Anatel's institutional page states that Bronze trust level is required to use the system.
- Find Public Consultation No. 41/2026 or Public Consultation No. 42/2026. On September 26, 2026, both are shown as open.
- Read the draft and associated documents before submitting a comment. For PC 41, focus especially on device requirements and test procedures. For PC 42, focus on AFC operation, security, incumbent protection, testing, and registration.
- Use the electronic form linked to the consultation to submit a reasoned and identified comment, criticism, or suggestion. If you are representing a company, Anatel states that the representative must register with SEI and provide documents proving the relationship with the company.
- Submit the contribution before the closing time shown in Participa Anatel. For both consultations, the system lists December 3, 2026, at 23:59:59.
What to examine when drafting a contribution
For PC 41, objective points include geolocation, power limits, behavior after AFC communication failure, consultation frequency, connection security, test procedures, and requirements for neutral infrastructure. For PC 42, key topics include BDTA quality and updates, interference calculation criteria, exclusion areas, data security, server location, operational continuity, testing, and operator registration criteria.
A contribution is generally more useful when it identifies the affected draft item, describes the problem or opportunity, provides a technical or operational justification, and, when possible, suggests alternative wording. Public consultation is precisely the phase in which Anatel receives criticism and suggestions before consolidating the final version.
What should not yet be treated as a final rule
Until the consultation closes and final acts are eventually published, the requirements described remain proposals. This includes power levels, update routines, registration criteria, security architecture, and other technical parameters. Companies therefore should not treat the opening of the consultations as automatic authorization to activate standard-power outdoor networks outside the conditions currently in force.
To follow the process, the primary reference should be Participa Anatel itself, where the drafts, consultation status, and contribution deadline are published. After the closing date, the Agency reviews the submissions and may adjust the text before issuing a final decision.
