Communications Ministry publishes notice to deploy 31,000 internet stations

The Communications Ministry issued on Friday the notice of expansion Gesac program that leads for free internet connection to different regions of the country. With the new bid, Gesac will be expanded from the current 13.3 points existing presence to about 31,000. One of the big news is the adhesion of the Ministry of Healthcare to the program, which will now connect approximately 13 000 Primary Healthcare Centers

The call will be held in electronic trading mode, type lowest price. The supply of the proposals can be made by site Comprasnet and opening will take place on October 29. The tender is divided into five lots, four for terrestrial and satellite connections.

Lots covering different regions of the country: South, East (Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia and Sergipe); North and one that benefits the country's interior. That portion satellite is concentrated in the North, but it also reaches other regions.

The connection speed will also improve Gesac: about 70% of the points will have a rated speed of 1 Mbps. In some places, the connection speed can expected to reach 8 Mbps. Another change will be the number of points on land. Currently, only 9% of the connection points Gesac are terrestrial. With the new announcement, this proportion is expected to reach 85%.

The remaining points of presence will rely on satellite connection, exclusively for locations where it is not yet possible to care for other forms of technology. In these places, the program will double the average connection speed offered, from the current 512 Kbps to 1 meg.

Américo Bernardes explains that this band offer enables a number of applications still limited, but points out that this part of GESAC is intended for connection points in remote areas, where there is no other way of connection and there is a physical limit bandwidth satellite can be used.

The Gesac program is coordinated by the Brazilian Ministry of Communications, through the Department for Digital Inclusion, in partnership with other agencies and entities. The program also leads a broadband connection via terrestrial and satellite schools, healthcare facilities, indigenous communities, border posts and Quilombo. "With this expansion, we will meet the new culture points, maintaining connections in schools, social assistance centers and telecenters within the digital inclusion policy," said Americo Bernardes.