Brazil's telecoms regulator Anatel has published a technical standard that makes identity verification with face biometrics mandatory for registering a mobile phone line. The rules were reported on 30 October 2026.
What the standard requires
- The check must use either a government-held biometric database or one run by a private authentication provider.
- Presentation attack detection (PAD) must follow ISO/IEC 30107-3 and reach "level 2 or higher".
- Operators must add document authenticity checks and tools that detect digital manipulation. Anatel expects spoofing with photos, videos, masks, deepfakes and synthetic data.
- All verification methods must be documented and auditable.
Timeline
- New prepaid activations: by the end of September 2027.
- Postpaid activations and account changes: by the end of 2027.
- Subscribers without biometric verification: suspension notices by 1 November 2028, with 120-day suspensions from January 2029.
Anatel cites more than 280 million active mobile subscriptions in Brazil. Operators must also offer alternative procedures that comply with the LGPD data protection law.
Why it matters here
Rules that tie phone numbers to verified identities are tightening in several markets, including the Philippines, South Africa and India. Services that sell physical-SIM or carrier numbers depend on how these checks are applied to new and existing lines.