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Brazil: Updates Mobile Network Signal Booster Certification Requirements

Home / Country Update / Brazil: Updates Mobile Network Signal Booster Certification Requirements
Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) has officially updated the technical requirements for the certification of internal signal boosters used in mobile networks. Through the publication of Act No. 5885 on April 29, 2026, the agency aims to align domestic regulations with international best practices while strengthening self-monitoring mechanisms to mitigate the risk of network interference.
 
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The primary objective of Act No. 5885 is to establish precise technical parameters and test procedures for signal boosters used in Personal Mobile Service (SMP) indoor environments. This initiative is part of Anatel’s broader strategy to foster digital inclusion and enhance mobile service quality, particularly through programs like the Anatel Regulatory Sandbox, which explores the use of boosters to expand mobile network coverage in municipalities.

Differentiated Requirements for Booster Architectures

The updated regulation meticulously categorizes signal boosters into two main technology architectures, each with tailored certification parameters:
  • Selective Boosters: These devices are engineered to retransmit signals exclusively from a designated Personal Mobile Service (SMP) provider.
  • Broadband Boosters: Designed for broader application, these units can retransmit signals originating from multiple service providers.
This distinction ensures that the technical specifications and operational guidelines are appropriately applied, promoting efficient spectrum utilization and minimizing potential interference across diverse network setups.

Enhanced Self-Monitoring and Interference Mitigation

Central to the new requirements is the mandatory integration of advanced self-monitoring mechanisms within all certified signal boosters. These features are critical for maintaining the stability and performance of mobile networks by actively preventing and mitigating interference. Key functionalities include:
  • Automatic Feedback Cancellation: Devices must detect and actively reduce interference caused by signal feedback, a phenomenon akin to acoustic feedback in audio systems.
  • Automated Power Control: Boosters are required to automatically regulate their signal boosting capability, ensuring that transmission power remains within Anatel’s stipulated regulatory limits.
  • Intelligent Shutdown Protocols: The regulation mandates automatic transmission shutdown if a device cannot operate in accordance with Anatel’s requirements or if it detects no active cellular connections for a period exceeding five minutes, reactivating only when demand resumes.

Technical Specifications for Performance and Compliance

Act No. 5885 introduces detailed technical limits across various operational aspects of signal boosters, ensuring their safe and effective deployment:

Transmission Power Limits

  • Uplink: Unless otherwise specified by band-specific regulations, the maximum conducted composite power and Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) must not exceed 30 dBm (1 Watt) per operating band.
  • Downlink (Broadband Boosters): The combined conducted power and EIRP must not surpass 0.05 W (17 dBm) for each operating band.
  • Downlink (Selective Boosters): These devices are limited to a combined conducted power and EIRP of 0.05 W (17 dBm), with a further restriction of 0.01 W (10 dBm) per channel within each operating band.

Gain Limits

Anatel specifies distinct gain limits for both uplink and downlink, varying by booster type and operational context:
  • Broadband Boosters: Uplink gain is capped at (-34 dB – RSSI + MSCL) dB, where RSSI is the received signal power and MSCL is the Mobile Station Coupling Loss. Fixed broadband boosters have a maximum gain of 6.5 dB + 20 Log 10 (F) (where F is the uplink center frequency in MHz), while mobile variants range from 15 dB (direct connection) to 50 dB (indoor antenna).
  • Selective Boosters: Uplink and downlink gain must not exceed [BSCL – 28 dB – (40 dB – MSCL)] dB, with BSCL representing Base Station Coupling Loss. Fixed selective boosters can reach 19.5 dB + 20 Log 10 (F) or 100 dB for systems with automatic gain adjustment. Mobile selective boosters have limits from 15 dB to 65 dB, depending on connection type and frequency band, especially with automatic feedback cancellation.

Impact on Manufacturers and Market Access

These updated technical requirements underscore Anatel’s commitment to fostering a robust and interference-free mobile telecommunications environment.

Manufacturers of mobile network signal boosters must ensure their products comply with these detailed specifications to gain and maintain certification in the Brazilian market. The emphasis on self-monitoring, precise power and gain controls, and adherence to international best practices will likely lead to higher quality and more reliable devices for consumers, while also presenting a clear regulatory framework for industry stakeholders.

For this article’s source information and any product certification guidance, please contact Global Validity. 

Quick Country Facts

Brazil

Certification Body: Agencia Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (ANATEL)

Certification Type: Mandatory

License Validity: 24/36 Months

Application Language: Portuguese

Legal License Holder: Local Representative

In-Country Testing Requirement: In-Country Testing

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