Brazil ANATEL Ato 10.400: 6 GHz Wi-Fi Band Cut
Brazil (ANATEL): Ato No. 10.400 Mandates 6 GHz Wi-Fi Band Reduction for Certificate Renewals Starting March 2027
Regulatory Background
Brazil's National Telecommunications Agency, ANATEL, approved Ato No. 10.400 together with Acórdão nº 203 on August 11–12, 2026, amending the technical conformity assessment requirements originally set out in Ato nº 14.448/2017 for restricted radiation radiocommunication equipment. The measure was published in ANATEL's Boletim de Serviço Eletrônico and in the Diário Oficial da União on August 14, 2026, and entered into force upon publication.
The regulatory driver behind Ato No. 10.400 is spectrum reallocation: ANATEL is progressively reducing the portion of the 6 GHz band available to Wi-Fi and other unlicensed "Sistema de Acesso sem Fio em Banda Larga para Redes Locais" (Wireless Broadband Access Systems for Local Area Networks, or WAS/RLAN) equipment, in order to free the upper segment of the band for International Mobile Telecommunications (cellular) services. Industry groups such as Abrint have publicly opposed the change, arguing it will constrain Wi-Fi capacity given that Wi-Fi carries the large majority of Brazil's internet traffic but the decision was approved unanimously by ANATEL's Conselho Diretor and is moving forward under a defined transition timeline.
Summary of Changes: ANATEL Ato 10.400 6 GHz Wi-Fi Band Reduction
Prior to this update, WAS/RLAN equipment in Brazil could operate across the full 1200 MHz of the 6 GHz band, from 5925 MHz to 7125 MHz. Under Ato No. 10.400, that range is reduced to 5925–6425 MHz, leaving 500 MHz available for Wi-Fi. Products classified under this category including Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices will no longer be certified to operate in the upper segment (6425–7125 MHz), which is being reserved for mobile network use. Definitions for Client Equipment, Indoor Access Points, Subordinate Access Points, and Very Low Power equipment have all been revised accordingly. A maximum spurious emission limit of −27 dBm/MHz EIRP power spectral density outside the 5925–6425 MHz sub-band has also been established.
While the Act is already in legal effect, ANATEL has set March 1, 2027, as the date on which application of the new requirements becomes mandatory creating a defined transition period for manufacturers and certificate holders to plan around.
Renewal Scenarios: When Band Reduction Is Mandatory vs. Optional
The applicability of the new requirement depends on both the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) expiration date and when the renewal is filed with ANATEL:
Scenario | CoC Expiration | Renewal Submission Timing | Band Reduction Requirement |
1 | On or after March 1, 2027 | Any time, including before March 1, 2027 | Mandatory as part of renewal |
2 | Before March 1, 2027 | Before March 1, 2027 | Optional, if not reduced now, must be addressed at the next renewal |
3 | Before March 1, 2027 | On or after March 1, 2027 | Mandatory |
In short: any certificate that is eligible for renewal (within the six month pre-expiration window) and expires on or after March 1, 2027, must already comply with the reduced band at renewal regardless of how early the paperwork is filed.
Certification Impact Summary
Area | Impact |
Affected products | Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7, and other WAS/RLAN devices operating in the 6 GHz band |
Frequency range change | 5925–7125 MHz → 5925–6425 MHz |
Trigger for compliance | CoC renewal, based on expiration date and submission date (see scenarios above) |
Implementation assumption | Firmware/software update only, no change to power settings (baseline case) |
New tests (baseline case) | Frequency range verification; spurious emissions |
Additional tests (if power must be reduced) | Maximum output power; Power Spectral Density (PSD), repeated post-adjustment |
Testing scope | All applicable technologies and bandwidths operating in the 6 GHz band |
Sample requirement | One RF conducted sample with test mode |
Estimated testing lead time | Approximately 2–4 weeks |
Regulatory certainty on test requirements | OCDs have submitted recommended testing requirements; ANATEL has not yet formally confirmed them, though adoption is considered likely |
What This Means for Manufacturers
For manufacturers and certificate holders with 6 GHz Wi-Fi products in the Brazilian market, Ato No. 10.400 introduces a compliance checkpoint tied directly to certificate renewal cycles rather than a single hard cutover date. Practical implications include:
Audit certificate expiration dates now. Any CoC expiring on or after March 1, 2027 even one currently in its six month renewal eligibility window will require band reduction as part of the renewal process.
Firmware/software-only path is the expected baseline. If the reduction to 5925–6425 MHz can be implemented without changing power settings, testing is expected to be limited to frequency range verification and spurious emissions.
Power adjustments trigger more testing. If spurious emissions compliance requires reducing output power, maximum output power and PSD testing will also need to be repeated.
Plan for 2–4 week test lead times and factor this into renewal filing schedules, particularly for certificates expiring close to the March 1, 2027 threshold.
Test requirements are not yet final. OCDs have submitted their proposed testing scope to ANATEL, but formal confirmation is pending. Manufacturers should stay alert for ANATEL's official position before finalizing test plans.
Early voluntary compliance is an option, not an obligation, in Scenario 2 but deferring it simply shifts the requirement to the next renewal cycle rather than avoiding it.
Timeline and Required Actions
Date / Milestone | Action |
August 12, 2026 | ANATEL's Conselho Diretor approves Acórdão nº 203 and Ato No. 10.400 |
August 14, 2026 | Publication in ANATEL's Boletim de Serviço Eletrônico and the Diário Oficial da União; Act enters into force |
March 1, 2027 | Review product portfolio and CoC expiration dates against the three renewal scenarios; engage your OCD to confirm applicability |
Pending | ANATEL's formal confirmation of OCD-recommended test requirements |
At renewal (per applicable scenario) | Submit RF conducted sample with test mode; complete frequency range verification and spurious emissions testing (plus output power/PSD retesting if power is adjusted) |
March 1, 2027 | New 6 GHz band requirements become mandatory for all applicable renewals going forward |
