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Norte Conectado promises to expand the internet in the Amazon with 9 subfluvial infoways, more than 900 public access points, and connections between isolated municipalities in six states of the region.
The federal government wants to bring the internet to isolated areas of the Amazon by implementing 13,200 kilometers of subfluvial fiber optic cables along the region’s rivers. The plan is part of Norte Conectado, a program by the Ministry of Communications targeting 70 locations in six states and is expected to directly reach 7.5 million people.
The proposal is to strengthen communication infrastructure in an area where distance and land access hinder stable connections. The network is also expected to support public policies in education, health, research, defense, and justice, as well as allow integration with neighboring countries in the Pan-Amazon region.
According to the Ministry of Communications, the program was designed to interconnect municipalities and localities in the Northern Region through a telecommunications network that crosses rivers and delivers signals to public points and areas previously dependent on weaker connections.
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Network should reach schools, hospitals, courts, and city halls
One of the central points of the project is the expansion of access in collective use locations. The ministry reports that the initiative plans for more than 900 public access points, including schools, hospitals, courts, and city halls.
In practice, this means strengthening services that depend on constant connection to operate more efficiently, especially in regions where digital communication is still limited by geography. The program also mentions education, health, and the justice system among the areas directly benefited.
The 9 infoways that will stitch the Amazon
The structure of Norte Conectado is divided into nine infoways. According to the ministry, some are already completed or in operation, while others are still undergoing implementation or formalization of operation.
Among them, Infoway 00 connects Macapá to Santarém; Infoway 01 connects Santarém to Manaus; Infoway 02 goes from Manaus to Atalaia do Norte; and Infoway 03 covers the stretch between Belém and Macapá. There are also routes passing through Boa Vista, Porto Velho, Rio Branco, Barcelos, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Fonte Boa, and Cruzeiro do Sul.
The official survey shows that most of these connections cross large stretches of Amazonian rivers, with subfluvial sections and, in some cases, a combination with terrestrial parts. The goal is to form a continuous network capable of expanding internet coverage in municipalities that have historically been outside the main connection routes.
The program already totals 7.5 million beneficiaries
In addition to the network’s extension, the numbers help gauge the size of the project. The government reports that Norte Conectado reaches 7.5 million people directly benefited in the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, and Roraima.
The Ministry of Communications also highlights that the program integrates different government fronts and is monitored by a management committee responsible for overseeing execution and defining standards for the shared use of infrastructure.
Part of the infoways was implemented by organizations and entities such as the National Education and Research Network, EAD, EAF, and the Brazilian Army, with different sources of funding and stages of operation. Some are already in operation; others are still being implemented or revitalized.
Connection in the Amazon gains weight with long-range infrastructure
The project emerges as one of the government’s biggest bets to reduce digital isolation in the Northern region. Instead of relying solely on isolated solutions, the strategy is to create a broader network base, with reach between cities, communities, and strategic public service points.
With 13.2 thousand kilometers planned, Norte Conectado is on the list of the most ambitious initiatives to bring stable internet to the Amazon. The expansion is expected to progress in stages, as the infoways are implemented and the operation models are formalized in each section.
For those who live or work in the region, the change could mean more regular access to digital services that today still face distance barriers. And, as the government itself indicates, the network is not only aimed at connection: it also seeks to support public policies that increasingly depend on the internet. If you follow works and projects that can transform the Amazon, it’s worth keeping a close eye on the next steps of this network.
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