MANAUS, BRAZIL — More than 700,000 people in nine municipalities across the Brazilian states of Amazonas and Rondônia are expected to benefit from the deployment of Infovia 5, an underwater fiber-optic network whose installation began Monday (July 21) in the Madeira River. The infrastructure is part of the federal Norte Conectado (Connected North) program and will link the municipality of Autazes, in Amazonas, to Porto Velho, the capital of Rondônia, through 1,116 kilometers (694 miles) of fiber-optic cable laid along the riverbed and an additional 210 kilometers (130 miles) of terrestrial network.

According to Brazil's Ministry of Communications, the infrastructure was designed to expand connectivity in remote areas of the Amazon where internet access remains limited. The network is expected to serve public institutions, including hospitals, schools, judicial facilities and military units, while also enabling private internet service providers to expand broadband access for local communities.

The first phase of cable deployment is taking place between the municipalities of Autazes and Manicoré, both in Amazonas state, and is expected to last between 19 and 20 days. The cables are being laid from a barge specially adapted for the operation following technical studies that determined the safest route for the fiber-optic network along the riverbed.

On the Madeira River, one of the main challenges is the heavy traffic of vessels and the dredging operations carried out to keep the waterway navigable. In addition, the presence of illegal gold mining operations in the region poses another risk to the project.

Once cable installation is completed, Mobile High Availability Centers (CMADs) will be installed to house the equipment required to operate the network. The units are powered by solar energy and battery systems to ensure uninterrupted service in the event of power outages.

Amazon Agency