Brazil mulling use of private cables for international exits of Amazon fiber project

Brazil is studying international exits, with connections to different subsea cable systems, for its signature Amazon underwater fiber project Norte Conectado.

The plans were presented at a press conference by regulator Anatel and EAF, the entity responsible for most of the Infovias (stretches) that comprise Norte Conectado.

This approach was somewhat expected, as one of the exits mulled for Norte Conectado is via the border with Colombia, through the Colombian city of Letícia. 

This connection, through the yet to be launched Infovia 02, had been announced and is part of an MOU between Brazil and Colombia.

In this triple border region between Brazil, Peru and Colombia, the idea is to also connect Infovia 02 with a cable by Peruvian company Global Fiber.

Global Fiber is responsible for a cable that crosses the Peruvian Amazon and reaches the border of Brazil and Colombia, and which was developed in partnership with Nokia.

A second cable to be developed by Global Fiber involves connecting the Brazilian coastal cities of Belém (Pará state) and Fortaleza (Ceará). One supplier for this new cable is Brazilian firm Padtec. 

As BNamericas reported previously, Global Fiber aims to create a broad data corridor between Lima and Fortaleza, and under this approach, the complement of its project with the Norte Conectado Infovias would come into play.

In Brazil, this connection would provide an important outlet to the Pacific and its international systems for the Amazon backbone.

ELLALINK

Another possibility being studied by Anatel and EAF is to connect Infovia 03 with EllaLink, a cable that connects South America and Europe, running between Brazil's Fortaleza and Sines in Portugal. 

In this case, EllaLink would have to be extended to Belém, where Infovia 03 lands.

In January, EllaLink won a contract to connect French Guiana to Fortaleza via a 2,100km cable branch. This EllaLink branch will necessarily have to pass along the coast of Pará state. Therefore, an extension of this branch to Pará would suffice.

But the on the other end of Infovia 03 is Amapá state capital Macapá, as Amapá sits between French Guiana and Pará state.

Earlier this year, Amapá governor Clécio Luís met with EllaLink officials to discuss an extension of the cable to the state as part of the route to French Guiana.

Another exit via the Atlantic being studied for Norte Conectado involves Infovia 04, yet to be launched. Infovia 04 will reach Boa Vista, capital of Roraima state, which borders Guyana.

In this case, the alternative would be to have a terrestrial connection from Boa Vista up to the Guyanese coast.