Rousseff wants law to universalize broadband [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

Rousseff wants law to universalize broadband
By Pedro Ozores - Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff defended the idea of a bill to make broadband universalization legally binding in the country. But Rousseff, who is seeking reelection next month, rejected putting broadband in the "public regime" via a decree, as demanded by a group of consumer protection entities and civil society organizations gathered under the banner Banda Larga é um Direito Seu! (broadband is your right!), to avoid "legal challenges."

Rousseff's remarks were made at an event promoted by the broadband campaign groups in São Paulo. According to these groups, declaring broadband a public regime service would make it subject to universalization goals, as well as coverage regulation and charging/billing limitations, in the same way fixed telephony currently is.

Currently, broadband is provided purely under a private regime, while fixed telephony is under a public one.

The entities argue that article 18 of the country's general telecommunications law (LGT), approved in 1997 and which declared fixed telephony an essential public service, foresees the inclusion in the public regime, via a decree, of any telecoms service considered of "collective interest."

The campaign released a public letter to all presidential candidates with this and other broadband policy suggestions, and invited the main contenders to a public debate. To date, Rousseff is the only one to accept.

More:
http://www.bnamericas.com/news/telecommunications/rousseff-wants-law-to-universalize-broadband-rejects-decree