Mobile broadband access in Brazil increased approximately 1800% in four years, being accessed 2 million times in 2008 and 65 million times by February 2013, putting the country in first place in Latin America in terms of the density of mobile broadband access. The data was released by Minister Paulo Bernardo during a public hearing in the Senate, on Tuesday, April 9.

The minister said that Brazil saw one of the biggest price drops in broadband among the 155 countries surveyed by the International Telecommunication Union: 46% from 2010 to 2011, with the country now the fourth largest market for telecommunications services.

The minister also highlighted the approval of the law easing the licensing of pay TV and said that in one year of the law, Anatel had received 300 license applications. According to Bernard, in 2002, pay TV services were present in 7% of Brazilian households and this grew to 27% in 2012.

At the hearing, Bernard presented a summary of the actions by the Ministry of Communications to stimulate and increase Internet access in Brazil, highlighting the tax relief already put in place by the government on modems, tablets, fiber optic network construction and today's measure which abolishes federal taxes on smartphone sales. He emphasized that the tax relief is important and "fundamental" to increasing access and improving the quality of telecommunication services.

The minister also said that in the North, "due to the continental dimensions", the best option is to use satellite and radio technology which will also be used to provide Internet in rural areas.

Source:

Ministry of Communications

13 April 2013