I-Systems partner TIM expands São Paulo fiber network with V.tal

Brazil's TIM, partner of IHS Towers in the I-Systems neutral fiber network JV, is expanding its fiber broadband operations in São Paulo state with V.tal's neutral fiber network.

TIM's contract with V.tal for fiber expansion is not new. However, betting on V-Tal, a competitor of I-Systems for a strategic market such as São Paulo does raise eyebrows.

In a social media publication, TIM's head of sales, Irlo Freitas, shared a state map with TIM's expansion in the interior of São Paulo, backed by V.tal.

TIM reached seven new and important cities in the state, reporting 499,000 homes passed with V.tal’s fiber. They are are premises that have the potential to become FFTH clients for the telco.

The list of cities include the two biggest conurbations in the state after capital São Paulo: Guarulhos (89,000 homes passed) and Campinas (91,000), which have 1.3mn and 1.2mn inhabitants, respectively.

They also include other large urban centers such as Sorocaba (103,000 homes passed) and São José dos Campos (110,000), and their respective surrounding regions.

The third largest mobile operator in the country, with a 23.6% market share, TIM currently has 796,000 fixed broadband customers, equivalent to 1.5% of the market, according to data from Anatel.

Over 212,000 of the total are in São Paulo state.

TIM's national broadband base shrank by 1.5% in 2024 compared with 2023, as it shed 2,700 customers.

In the state of São Paulo, this drop was 13.3% last year, according to Anatel. 

As of October, I-Systems had approximately 8mn homes passed with fiber as CEO Fernando Barros said at the time. The network was present in 41 cities in 10 states, and the JV reported 30 contracts with carriers.

According to Barros, the São Paulo metropolitan region was I-Systems' main focus and growth area.