Oi extends 2G/3G footprint in Rio Grande do Sul

Brazilian telecom operator Telemar Norte Leste (Oi) extended its coverage in Rio Grande do Sul state in 2010, according to local press reports. At the end of last year the operator’s 2G signal reached 63% of the population living there, thanks to the addition of 104 municipalities, while 3G coverage was increased to 30%. The latest areas served with 3G are the coastal areas of Osorio and Torres e Xangri-la, and cities such as Alegrete, Canela, Carazinho, Cruz Alta, Jaguarao, Sant’Angelo and Sapiranga, among others. Brazil’s telecoms regulator Anatel reports that Oi has the fourth largest coverage in the country, with 2,913 municipalities covered by 2G and 3G technologies, reaching 83.2% of the population. Oi has not yet provided its expansion plans for the year ahead.