Brazil’s LTE journey has started a new chapter: América Móvil’s local mobile unit, Claro, announced yesterday that it has deployed LTE networks in three tourist cities in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro: Campos do Jordão, Búzios and Parati.
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This is the first launch from a wireless carrier since Brazil’s LTE auction in June when Claro secured 20 MHz + 20 MHz (40 megahertz of spectrum in Band W as well as spectrum in the 450 MHz band). According to auction rules, Claro will be responsible for deploying telecom services in the rural areas of the states of Amazonas, Acre, Amapá, Bahia, Maranhão, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins as well as the metropolitan areas of São Paulo.
According to Claro, the pilot projects will be used to improve technology and its services. The company forecasted that it will deploy LTE networks in Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Fortaleza, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador by next April to provide services for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. By the end of 2013, Claro expects to have LTE deployed in Cuiabá, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre and São Paulo, which is one of the state capital cities that will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Ericsson is the infrastructure technology provider for Claro, which is also partnering with Huawei for modems and Motorola for LTE smartphones.
The LTE service is not being commercialized yet, and according to the carrier, customers can test LTE technology only inside Claro’s stores with the carrier’s equipment in the three cities where the network is available.
The roll out of long term evolution technology in Latin America started with a few launches and several trials around the region. To better understand how the LTE roll out is happening in Latin America, download RCR Wireless News’ feature report in English or Spanish. Based on interviews with carriers, vendors and analysts, this in-depth report shows the current stage and future steps in deploying the next generation of telecommunications throughout Latin America.
Brazil’s LTE
DirecTV’s Latin American subsidiary, Sky Brazil, the country’s largest satellite TV service, has entered the broadband wireless market offering LTE services. The service is currently limited to the country’s capital of Brasília. Sky expects to extend its offering over the coming year to other Brazilian cities where it holds licenses to operate data communication services.
The Brazilian carrier Oi has also initiated a pilot LTE trial using the 2.6 GHz and 1.8 GHz bands in five cities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, while the independent institution CPqD announced tests using LTE technology in the 450 MHz frequency band.
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