SAO PAULO -(Dow Jones)- Brazilian long-distance telecom provider Embratel Participacoes will invest 600 million reals ($351 million) in setting up a WiMax broadband Internet network in 200 cities by the end of 2009, a company official said.
The service, which offers telephone and broadband Internet, will start being offered in Sao Paulo and 11 other cities in the next couple of days, said Embratel in a statement.
The package of fixed-line and broadband services will be offered to small- to medium-sized companies.
Embratel operates long-distance telephone services in Brazil.
The company bought the frequencies to be used with the service in in 2003. Embratel will be the first to use this technology in Brazil on a large scale.
Embratel is controlled by Mexico's Telefonos de Mexico, or Telmex. Telmex also has a strategic stake in pay TV and cable Internet provider Net Servicos (NETC4.BR).
-By Alastair Stewart; Dow Jones Newswires; 5511 3145-1479; alastair.stewart@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
Posted to the site on 5th April 2008
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/30334.php