The Brazilian government will develop a National Submarine Cable Policy to expand the country’s digital infrastructure.
The proposal will incentivize the creation of new cable routes in locations that are outside the submarine connectivity map, mainly in the North and South regions, which currently do not have any anchoring points.
Minister of Communications, Frederico de Siqueira Filho, said:
“This policy will be essential for the advancement of the digital economy in Brazil and for positioning the country as a leading player in the global telecommunications scenario. President Lula asked me to continue strengthening telecommunications and combat regional inequalities. To do this, we need to have more points across the country receiving submarine cables.”
Currently, most of Brazil’s subsea cable infrastructure is concentrated in Fortaleza (CE), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Salvador (BA), Santos (SP), and Praia Grande (SP), in addition to 12 other coastal cities in the Southeast and Northeast.
The National Submarine Cable Policy, expected to be officially launched by the end of the year, aims to change this scenario by expanding the number of anchoring points through the creation of the so-called Anchoring Interest Zones (ZIAs)—areas that receive the cables—for regions not yet covered.
This measure is expected to transform the country’s digital infrastructure, increasing the capacity, speed, and security of the internet, and ensuring greater regional balance in access to international data networks.
The Minister of Communications concluded:
“With this, the internet infrastructure in Brazil will have more capacity, speed, security, and redundancy. This will prepare us for the future, with planning that is up to the challenge.”
Furthermore, the policy aims to boost national industry development, establish an updated and secure regulatory framework, seek ways to enhance integration efforts between the Union and the states, and strengthen Brazil’s investment potential, including the construction of data centers.
