An executive with Brazil-based operator TIM Participacoes (TIM Brasil) said the carrier expects to deploy a total 40,000 km of fiber-optic networks in the country by the end of 2013, and reach 50,000 km within the next two years, TeleGeography reports.
Rogerio Takayanagi, head of TIM Fiber, told attendees at the Broadband Latin America conference in Sao Paulo that the provider has cornered 76 percent of the market in areas where its FTTx service is offered.
However, competitors like GVT and Vivo threaten to chip away at that lead as they introduce speeds up to 150 and 200 Mbps, respectively, to the region.
TIM Brasil began its fiber buildout in 2011, acquiring infrastructure provider AES Atimus and its 5,500 route fiber miles in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The provider partnered with ZTE in 2012 to complete 60 percent of the first phase of its mixed fiber to the curb/building (FTTC/FTTB) project in Sao Paulo. The service launched in Q3 2012 under its “Live” brand and currently serves 21 municipalities in and around Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
According to Takayanagi, TIM Fiber has attracted approximately 20,000 retail customers, most of whom can get connection speeds of up to 35 Mbps.