Bitcoin to the Moon: LABRE write to ANATEL

Brazil’s national amateur radio society LABRE has written to the communications regulator ANATEL regarding the alleged sending of Bitcoin via amateur radio Moonbounce (EME)

LABRE in a letter to ANATEL said:

LABRE, through this communication, informs you of a recent fact involving the National level telecommunications. It was reported on several “sites” specializing in “cryptocurrencies” and technology, that a small group of Brazilians from the states of MG and SP, making use of equipment intended for amateur radio, would have made transmissions in one of the bands destined to the Radio Amateur Service where they would have carried out a financial transaction involving “cryptocurrencies”, specifically BITCOIN, so we understand the need for investigation by part of ANATEL …

Apart from the technical and practical difficulties for a link as described, the fact is that the operation involved using amateur radio equipment for a financial transaction, something that we understand to be expressly prohibited by Article 3 of Resolution 449/2006 of Anatel.

Art. 3 The Radio Amateur Service is the telecommunications service of restricted interest, intended for proper training, intercommunication and technical investigations, carried out by amateurs, duly authorized, interested in radio technology solely on a personal and not having any pecuniary or commercial purpose. (g.n.)

Pecuniary means any transaction in cash or that can be represented by it. In addition to this potential distortion of the Service, we see that an operation may also be involved unauthorized, as it was not possible to identify any authorization or license for the Radio amateur linked to the author of the fact at https://informacoes.anatel.gov.br/paineis/outorga-e-licenciamento even if he has COER [amateur radio certificate] …

In a statement the regional group LABRE Minas Gerais (LABRE-MG) said:

We reject any operations using the radio amateurs that involve any type of financial transactions, even that do not involve profit, as there is an unequivocal legal prohibition, as it can be observed in Res. 449/2006 of ANATEL in its art. 3rd, in addition to the legislation international applicable.

We likewise REJECT the use of amateur radio bands by individuals who do not meet all applicable requirements according to their class, or even by people not authorized to use the service, or even using of subterfuges to hide their identity or fail to comply with legal requirements.

Mr. Marcio Gandra, resident in the city of Belo Horizonte, MG, NO É and WAS NEVER associated with LABRE-MG, contrary to what he claimed recently in an interview on a specialized website. We also add that the LABRE-MG received electronic mail from the said gentleman where the he himself requested assistance in carrying out the licensing of a station of radio amateur, since he had passed the exams for the Class C and did not know the subsequent and necessary procedure. Just as we did and we have done it on several other occasions, LABRE-MG seeks to guide regarding the necessary procedures and provides free assistance to the interested parties. This was done with Mr. Marcio Gandra. Besides, it was him offered the possibility, at its discretion, to join LABRE-MG. Although this last step is SUSPENDED, not having been the same as an associate …

LABRE letter to ANATEL with links to news stories
https://labre.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Oficio-068-sobre-Bitcoin-Anatel.pdf

LABRE-MG Statement
https://labre.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/LABRE-MG-%E2%80%93-NOTA-OFICIAL.pdf

LABRE site https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Brazil

Satoshi Radio site with post about sending Bitcoin to the Moon
https://satoshi.radio.br/wp/

SOURCE:SOUTHGATE