In late 2014, the Brazilian government passed a regulation significantly reducing the SIM card tax on M2M devices, providing a stimulus for operators to develop services such as smart metering, car tracking or remote health monitoring.
The decree cuts two fees in the Telecommunications Inspection Fund (FISTEL) – the Installation Inspection Tax (TFI), which is charged when a SIM is first activated and the Operation Inspection Fee (TFF), an annual charge on each active SIM. This equates to a combined reduction of 80 per cent.