E-Space Africa, based in Rwanda, will have up to 2 years to start operations in Brazil
Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) authorized the E-Space Africabased in Rwanda, to offer satellite internet in Brazil. The company will have up to 2 years from the decision, on September 9, to begin operations in the country.
E-Space presented a system with 8,640 satellites as its available infrastructure. But this constellation is only theoretical. There is no information on how many, if any, are in orbit. When contacted by email, the company did not respond. Poder360. The space remains open for demonstrations.
The company presented Anatel with a certificate from the São Paulo Commercial Board to demonstrate that it has headquarters in Brazil. Read here the full version (PDF – 2 MB). It is installed in a room on Paulista Avenue, in São Paulo. There is no telephone number in this document presented.
STARLINK IS A LEADER IN SATELLITE
THE Starlinka company owned by American Elon Musk, has the largest share in the Brazilian satellite internet market.
The company operates a constellation of satellites in low orbit. See how it works here.
Here is Anatel’s ranking of satellite internet providers in Brazil for fixed bases in July:
- Starlink – 46%;
- Hughes – 36%;
- Viasat – 5%;
- Telebras – 4%;
- Clear – 4%;
- Others – 5%.
INTERNETBRAS WILL GROW
Public schools in remote areas of the country will have internet with part of what telephone operators paid for the 5G auction, held in 2021.
The auction resulted in payments of R$46.8 billion to the federal government, including the value of concessions and other commitments.
The installation of internet in public schools by 2026 will cost R$3.1 billion. Part of this will be provided by satellite and part by wired connection.
The connection between these schools is the Aprender Conectado program, under the responsibility of Gape (Monitoring Group for the Costing of School Connectivity Projects), from Anatel.
The operation of this service is the responsibility of Eace (School Connectivity Management Entity), a private organization implemented solely for this function following the 5G auction.
The initial idea was to hold a bidding process to provide the services. Starlink was the favorite to provide satellite internet. But the Anatel group responsible for installing internet in schools decided in May to use a Lula government program operated by Telebras.
The state-owned company is a survivor of the privatization of telecommunications companies. It is becoming a kind of InternetBras, with the function of providing connection in remote areas, for schools, health centers and inspection posts in border areas.
Telebras has a geostationary satellite that offers up to 60 Mbps. The constellation of satellites in low orbit allows Starlink to offer connections of up to 200 Mbps.
DECISION ON THE EVE OF X BLOCKADE
Anatel’s authorization for the signing of the Eace contract with Telebras was issued on August 29. It was 1 day before the decision by STF (Supreme Federal Court) minister Alexandre de Moraes to block X do Brasil. The contract between Telebras and Eace has not yet been signed. It is under negotiation.
State-owned Telebras had R$357 million in operating revenue in 2023. The R$127 million loss was covered with tax money. 5G will have R$3.1 billion to connect schools.
The state-owned company currently serves 12,596 points in the federal government’s program for remote areas. Of these, 10,458 are schools. The remaining points are health units, indigenous villages and quilombola communities.
The contract with Eace will cover a further 5,100 schools, 3,200 of which will be served by satellite and 1,900 by wire. A solar energy system will also be installed in locations not connected to the electricity grid.
In the next stage of Aprender Conectado, 18,500 schools will be served.
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