Por BN Américas
Brazilian network operator AES Eletropaulo Telecom expects its revenues to expand 59% this year, company operations director Emerson Hioki told BNamericas, without providing hard numbers.
"The company has had a positive performance so far this year. We are seeing increasing demand for our telecommunications service in our operations in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro," Hioki said.
"In terms of connectivity services, we are expecting this segment to expand 91% in 2010 compared to the previous year," the executive added.
Hioki said that demand for connectivity is chiefly being boosted by mobile phone operators. "As mobile telephony operators continue to expand 3G networks across the country, they need more connectivity to meet the increasing traffic. We are seeing a significant demand for mobile backhaul due to this," Hioki said.
As such, the executive said that the company expects investment this year to exceed last year´s capex, which reached 58mn reais (currently US$32.8mn).
AES Eletropaulo Telecom was previously the telecoms arm of Brazilian power company AES Eletropaulo. However in June, AES controller, power holding company Brasiliana, approved the financial liquidation and settlement terms for the acquisition of AES Eletropaulo Telecom from AES Eletropaulo. The move was to abide by regulations set by Brazilian utility regulator Aneel, which ruled that public service power distribution concessionaires cannot partake in companies whose corporate purpose is other than that of the provision of electric energy.
AES Eletropaulo Telecom operates a 5,000km fiber optic network in Brazil. The company offers telecoms services for fixed and mobile operators as well as ISPs in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
To read the full interview with Hioki, see this week´s Telecommunications Perspectives, for subscribers only.