The Brazilian company has been chosen to illuminate Information Highways 02, 03, and 04, which will connect cities in four states in the Northern region through the riverbeds of the Amazon Basin.
Padtec will be the supplier of the DWDM solution for the subfluvial networks to be built in the riverbeds of the main rivers of the Amazon Basin for the subsequent three phases of the Norte Conectado program, led by the Brazilian Ministry of Communications (Ministério das Comunicações – MCom): Information Highways 02, 03, and 04. The Brazilian company won the tender conducted by the Entidade Administradora de Faixa (EAF) – a non- governmental and non-profit entity-body created by determination of Anatel (the Brazilian Telecommunication Regulatory Agency) and responsible for the implementation of six Information Highways – which selected the suppliers for the new segments of the high-capacity subfluvial network being constructed in the Northern region of the country.
Operated by a consortium of telecommunications companies, the Norte Conectado program aims to expand access to broadband services in the Amazon region, promoting digital inclusion for the population. To achieve this, twelve thousand kilometers of eight Information Highways will be implemented along the Amazon rivers, connecting over 50 cities in the region and reaching more than seven million local inhabitants. Two of them have already been implemented: Information Highways 00 and 01.
“The three new Information Highways will total more than 2,000 kilometers and connect cities in Amazonas, Amapá, Pará, and Roraima states.”, says Leandro Guerra, CEO of EAF. “This is a unique project in the history of Brazil and telecommunication worldwide”, highlights the executive. The first to be constructed will be Information Highway 04, which will join the community of Vila de Moura in the municipality of Barcelos (Amazonas state) to the capital of Roraima state, Boa Vista, using the riverbeds of the Negro and Branco rivers. Information Highway 02 will be the longest of the three new highways announced, with over 1,200 kilometers traversing the Solimões riverbed, connecting the cities of Tefé and Atalaia do Norte in Amazonas state, and passing through other towns like Tabatinga. Information Highway 03 will link the capitals Macapá (Amapá state) and Belém (Pará state), passing through cities in the state of Pará.
Developed and manufactured in Brazil, the DWDM solutions provided by Padtec for the Norte Conectado program offer transmission rates of multiple channels at 100, 200, and 400 Gb/s, ensuring a high-capacity communication network for the entire region. Argemiro Sousa, Chief Operations Officer for Equipment at Padtec, recalls that the company has been the supplier of DWDM products for the federal government’s initiative since its first phase in 2014, starting with the networks built by the Brazilian Army in the Programa Amazônia Conectada (PAC) and later for Information Highways 00 and 01. “We are pleased to contribute once again to the advancement of connectivity in the North region of Brazil with state-of-the-art DWDM equipment. After all, among other benefits, connectivity brings regional development by enabling effective integration between various regions of the country and the world,” says the executive. Padtec will also serve as the service arm of the project, responsible for the installation, characterization, and commissioning of the DWDM optical network. “By offering a complete service solution that encompasses everything from system planning to installation, operation, and network maintenance, we add value to our delivery and provide greater security and comfort to our customers,” emphasizes Argemiro Sousa. To provide on-site support to its customers, Padtec has 40 current points of presence distributed across Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia.