home

Insight Prysmian Magazine

Increased internet access in Amazon region

Amazon Region

Increased internet access in Amazon region

As part of the Norte Conectado Program, more than 1,000 km of new fibre is being installed in the Amazon river and through several of its subsidiaries.

Over 1,000 km of new fibre to increase internet access in Amazon region

Infovia 01, the first phase of the Norte Conectado program, covers over 1,000 km between Santarém and Manaus and is to provide high-speed internet to some 3 m people across 11 municipalities. It will also connect schools, hospitals, and justice forums. 

"Connecting remote areas of Brazil, especially the Amazon, through fiber optics is vital for digital inclusion, economic development, and improved quality of life,” explains Nelson Saito, President Fiber Broadband Association LATAM Chapter. “This infrastructure enables high-speed internet access, essential for education, healthcare, and business, while strengthening the region’s integration with the rest of the country. It attracts investment, fosters innovation, and reduces regional inequalities, promoting sustainable growth.”

The initiative is part of President Lula’s efforts to foster digital inclusion, protect the rainforest, and simultaneously developing infrastructure. According to the president, internet access will help get health clinics online and increase the reach of telehealth to communities that would be difficult to reach in other ways. 

The broader plan includes a network of eight ‘Infovias’ that will eventually span the entire Amazon basin, using riverbeds to minimize environmental impact and avoid deforestation. These underwater cables are designed to bring connectivity to remote areas without disturbing the delicate rainforest ecosystem of. The government has already connected many schools and healthcare units in the region as part of this effort. Brazil's Communication Ministry has stated that using the riverbed to route the fibre means no trees will need to be cut down to install cables. Solar panels are planned to supply a significant portion of the infrastructure’s energy needs, aligning with Brazil's sustainability goals.

Brazil's fiber broadband network is rapidly growing, with coverage expected to reach approximately 5,500 municipalities by the end of the year. Substantial progress has been made in expanding fiber broadband access across the country. The FTTH market now dominates fixed-line broadband, with fibre accounting for more than 56% of all residential broadband connections.