Brazil unveils places eligible for broadband program

Brazil's science, technology, innovation and communications ministry (MCTIC) released the list of 25,000 areas of the country that are eligible for the Internet for All program.

Municipalities in those areas can now apply to join the program online, as can internet service providers willing to be accredited partners, the ministry said in a statement.

Upon registration, mayors will receive membership terms and will have to indicate the locations in which they want to receive broadband infrastructure, MCTIC said.

Internet for All will bring antennas to districts lacking broadband coverage, and offer reduced prices for users.

It is up to the municipalities to state where the antennas will be located and to cover their energy costs. The entire operation will be granted certain tax breaks.

According to the director of digital inclusion at MCTIC, Américo Bernardes, municipalities can name more than one area to receive the infrastructure and can even suggest sites that are not on the list published by the ministry.

Connections will be provided through Brazil's geostationary satellite for defense and communications (SGDC) launched in May, and by e-government program Gesac, which has been in operation since 2008 but is now being revamped for the Internet for All initiative.