Brazil launches plan to triple broadband Internet access by 2014

infoTECH News

[May 05, 2010]

Brazil launches plan to triple broadband Internet access by 2014

BRASILIA, May 05, 2010 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The Brazilian government Wednesday officially launched the National Broadband Plan, under which it aims to triple high speed Internet access by 2014 and quadruple the number of households counting on the service at a speed equal to or greater than 512 kbps.

The target is to increase from the current 12 million households that have Internet access to 40 million, charging a monthly fee between 15 and 35 reais (between 8.5 and 20 U.S.

dollars), depending on tax incentives applied.

The president's chief of staff Erenice Guerra said the plan's main objective is to expand access to poorer segments of the population.

"The country's development will only be effective with broadband access being used as a tool of social inclusion", he stressed.

The total cost for the project to be carried out over the next four years is approximately 12.8 billion reais (7.230 billion dollars).

In 2010, the goal is to implement the core of the network in the Federal District and in 15 states in Northeast and Southeast regions, which are being prioritized for having fiber optic ring that allows broadband to be extended and that will guarantee access to about 100 cities.

Planning Minister Paulo Bernardo said that the plan will also facilitate development of small and medium-sized enterprises, including those with foreign trade which seek new markets.

State-controlled communications company Telebras said Tuesday it will manage the project with a fund of 3.2 billion reais (1.8 billion dollars).

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