Brazilian mobile operator Algar Telecom has selected Cisco to supply it with an automatic Wi-Fi mobile roaming platform, as part of its Wi-Fi network coverage expansion project in Triangulo Mineiro region, Minas Gerais state, as well as in the areas surrounding Sao Paulo. Under the plan, Algar customers will be able to connect to Wi-Fi for free, as the system will recognise their SIM card and log them on automatically, it said. Launched in 2012, Algar Telecom’s network roaming project is expected to have 400 Cisco Aironet 1600 Series access points installed by the end of the year, providing internet access at 50 public places in the cities of Uberaba, Uberlandia and Franca. Algar has also deployed 48 Wi-Fi hotspots using Cisco’s Aironet 1600 Series at the Triangulo Music, a local music festival, it added.
Commenting on the project, Algar’s director of operations and technology, Luis Antonio Andrade Lima, said: ‘More than a complement to the 3G network, Algar utilised Wi-Fi connectivity as a differential advantage to attract and retain customers, as well as a possibility to generate additional revenue. Enabling Wi-Fi network access in the Triangulo Music, for example, was a sudden decision. A month from the event, we started negotiations with Cisco, a rather short-term for product supply, but ease of deployment and configuration technology allowed us to make the network available at the stadium in just three days.’