Government promises high-speed internet during the World Cup.
According to Minister Paulo Bernardo, each of the 12 World Cup stadiums will have two 50-gigabyte networks, all connected to a fiber optic network; "Not even Mr. Jerome Valcke will use all that capacity, although he could if he made many explosive statements," he quipped.
Reuters - Fans attending the 2014 World Cup in Brazil will have no problem using the internet in the stadiums, but they may prefer to use a cell phone chip from a local operator to reduce costs, Communications Minister Paulo Bernardo said on Thursday.
Each of the 12 World Cup stadiums will have two 50-gigabyte networks, all connected to a fiber optic network, the minister told reporters. "I doubt the stadiums will use even a third of the capacity we are installing," he stated.
"Not even Mr. Jerome Valcke will use all that capacity, although he could if he made many explosive statements," the minister quipped, alluding to the FIFA secretary-general, who last year recommended a "kick in the pants" for Brazilian authorities because of the slow pace of preparations for the tournament.
Although Valcke's relations with the government improved after that, FIFA remains concerned about delays in stadium construction and shortcomings in hotels, transport, and communications.
Two of the six stadiums to be used in the Confederations Cup -- a test event that begins on June 15 in Brasília -- have not yet been inaugurated.
Brazil is expected to receive an additional half a million visitors for the 2014 World Cup. Many of them will want to send emails or post photos on social media, which could congest local mobile networks.
In recent weeks, Brazilian mobile phone operators have launched the first fourth-generation (4G) cellular networks, and the service will be available in the stadiums and host cities of the Confederations Cup.
But many foreign fans won't be able to use it, because most smartphones in the US and parts of Europe generally operate on radio frequencies like 700 megahertz, while Brazilian 4G operates at 2,5 GHz.
"Anyone with a 700 MHz cell phone will not be able to use 4G; they will have to use 3G," said Bernardo.
The minister recommended that fans avoid high international roaming charges by purchasing SIM cards from Brazilian carriers as soon as they land in Brazil.
The number of 3G users in Brazil has grown "explosively" since its launch in 2008, reaching almost 70 million, and by the end of 2014 the expectation is 130 million users, according to Bernardo.