SNOA: How Brazil's National Wholesale Offers System Works

What SNOA means for your ISP

If you are a regional ISP or a smaller carrier, SNOA (National Wholesale Offers System) is one of the most important tools at your disposal. Managed by ABR Telecom, SNOA is the platform where large carriers with Significant Market Power (SMP/PMS) are required to publish their wholesale products transparently, in a standardized format, and in an accessible manner.

Before SNOA, contracting network inputs from large carriers was a bilateral process, often opaque and unequal. Smaller providers had little bargaining power and faced unfavorable conditions. SNOA changed this dynamic by creating a regulated marketplace where offers are public, prices are known, and conditions are standardized.

If you are not consulting SNOA regularly, you may be paying more for network inputs than necessary, or you may be unaware of products that could enable the expansion of your operation.

Regulatory basis: why large carriers are required to sell to you

SNOA was created under the General Plan of Competition Goals (PGMC), established by Anatel's Resolution 600/2012. The PGMC identifies which carriers hold SMP in relevant markets and imposes transparency and non-discrimination obligations for wholesale product offers.

Resolution 600/2012 created the figure of the ESOA (Wholesale Offers Supervisory Entity), a role assigned to ABR Telecom. As ESOA, ABR Telecom operates SNOA, supervises compliance by SMP carriers, mediates conflicts, and reports to Anatel.

For your ISP, this means that large carriers cannot refuse to sell wholesale inputs without justification, cannot practice discriminatory pricing, and must keep their offers updated on the portal. If you encounter any of these situations, ABR Telecom is the first mediation channel before escalating to Anatel.

The products you can contract

SNOA's catalog includes the main inputs that an ISP or regional carrier needs to operate and grow. Knowing each product helps you evaluate which ones make sense for your operation.

EILD (Industrial Exploitation of Dedicated Lines) is one of the most demanded products. With it, you contract dedicated transmission capacity between two points, useful for interconnecting your networks or connecting to traffic exchange points. If you need high-capacity links to transport your customers' traffic, EILD is the product to consider.

Backhaul provides data transport between your access network and the internet backbone. For regional providers without their own long-distance infrastructure, contracting Backhaul through SNOA is often the most viable option to ensure connectivity.

Bitstream allows you to offer broadband using another carrier's access network. You contract last-mile capacity and serve the end customer under your own brand. This product is particularly useful in areas where you do not yet have your own network but want to offer service.

Full Unbundling allows complete disaggregation of the copper pair, using the incumbent carrier's physical infrastructure to offer your own services. Although less common with the advance of fiber optics, it remains relevant in certain regions.

Interconnection Classes II to V cover different levels of network-to-network connection, from local interconnection to long-distance transit. If you operate STFC and need to exchange voice traffic with other networks, these products are fundamental.

Duct and pole infrastructure allows you to share underground ducts and poles from large carriers. If you are expanding your fiber optic network, this sharing can significantly reduce deployment costs.

SOIA: the complement you should also know

In addition to SNOA, ABR Telecom manages SOIA (Wholesale Input Offers System), a complementary system focused on wholesale inputs that are not classified as ORPAs (Wholesale Product Reference Offers) but are also relevant to your operation.

SNOA concentrates the formal offers of SMP carriers, while SOIA covers a broader spectrum of products and commercial conditions. Consulting both systems gives you a complete view of available options.

How to use SNOA in practice

The SNOA portal is available at esoa.abrtelecom.com.br and is accessible to all providers authorized by Anatel. The flow is straightforward: access the portal, browse available offers, select the desired product, and initiate the contracting process.

SMP carriers are required to keep their offers updated, with clearly defined prices, technical conditions, and service deadlines. The standardization of information lets you objectively compare offers from different carriers, something that was impossible before SNOA.

If there are disagreements between you and the SMP carrier during contracting, ABR Telecom acts as a mediator. If mediation does not resolve the issue, the case can be escalated to Anatel. This mechanism protects smaller providers against discriminatory practices or unjustified delays.

The real impact on your competitiveness

SNOA leveled the playing field for thousands of regional ISPs in Brazil. With transparent access to network inputs, providers that previously had no way to compete with large carriers began offering viable alternatives, especially in the fixed broadband market.

If you are not yet using SNOA, start with these actions: access the portal esoa.abrtelecom.com.br with your technical team, explore the offers available in your region, compare the prices with what you currently pay for network inputs, and identify opportunities for cost reduction or coverage expansion.

SNOA is not just a regulatory tool. It is a growth instrument for providers that want to expand their operation in a sustainable and competitive way.

References

• Resolution 600/2012 (General Plan of Competition Goals): https://informacoes.anatel.gov.br/legislacao/resolucoes/34-2012/425-resolucao-600
• Law 9,472/1997 (General Telecommunications Law): https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l9472.htm