Telebras, a telecom company in Brazil, announced that it has completed the deployment of 70 percent of the fiber optic network in six cities in Brazil that will be hosting FIFA’s Confederations Cup due to start in June, 2013. Telebras is a state-owned entity.

The telco Telebras was entrusted with the task of providing the infrastructure for the deployment of metropolitan fiber optic networks, satellite links and radio systems in all the cities that will be hosting the tournament. This includes the cities of Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Fortaleza, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador.

The telecom infrastructure has to be ready by April, 2013 in all these cities. Also, the telecom infrastructure will be ready by November, 2013 in six other cities which will host the 2014 World Cup, said sports ministry sources.

The fiber optic network will cover a distance of 2,000 Km including all 12 cities. The government has also taken initiatives to create a Telebras subsidiary that will provide telecommunications services to FIFA during the two tournaments. This will be called Telebras Copa.

Telebras Copa is expected to provide all telecommunication services after completion. Also Brazil’s World Cup management committee (Gecopa) is offering 171mn reais to Anatel, the national telecoms regulator for spectrum use management and the mapping of critical telecommunications infrastructure.

In related company news, Telebras joined hands with Antel, Uruguay’s telecommunications operator in November 2012.

Caio Bonilha, the president of Telebras, and Carolina Cosse, the president of Antel, formally signed the deal in Montevideo. This agreement entails both Telebras and Antel to interconnect their fiber optic networks. The move will allow the completion of the Southern Cone optical ring.

According to Telebras, the ring project will enhance telecommunication offerings in South America cost effectively.

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