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Project approved by the Ministry of Communications and BNDES plans 1,200 kilometers of high-capacity underground network between Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Ceará
More than 11.2 million people living in 214 municipalities in the Northeast are expected to benefit from a new investment in high-speed internet. The project, approved by the Ministry of Communications and the National Bank for Economic and Social Development, foresees R$ 73.8 million from the Telecommunications Services Universalization Fund, the Fust.
The initiative will be executed by Aloo Telecom and involves the construction of 1,200 kilometers of underground fiber optic network. The structure will interconnect 12 municipalities in Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Ceará, creating a new data transmission route between Recife and Fortaleza.
According to the Ministry of Communications, the proposal aims to improve the stability, speed, and security of the connection in areas that still face digital infrastructure limitations. In practice, the investment targets a part of the country where the internet has ceased to be just leisure and has become essential for education, work, health, commerce, and public services.
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The announcement also reinforces a change in the use of Fust, which for many years was more associated with revenue collection than with the direct execution of connectivity projects. Now, the fund appears as a tool to expand broadband in less served regions and support providers that expand networks outside major centers.
New fiber optic route to connect Recife to Fortaleza
The central point of the project is the creation of a high-capacity data transport route between Recife and Fortaleza. This infrastructure functions as a kind of internet “backbone,” allowing providers, companies, public agencies, and end-users to have access to more stable connections with higher traffic volume.
According to BNDES, the resources will be used in the construction of an underground fiber optic network in 12 municipalities in the interior of Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Ceará. Although the work is concentrated in these points, the expected reach is greater, with an estimated impact on 214 northeastern municipalities.
The choice of an underground network is also relevant because it tends to offer more physical protection to the infrastructure. In regions where poles, overhead cables, and long distances can increase failures, a buried transport network can reduce operational risks and improve service availability.
Why investment in broadband in the interior matters
The expansion of high-speed internet in the interior of the Northeast is not limited to the possibility of watching videos or using social networks with better quality. In smaller municipalities, the connection directly influences access to online classes, telemedicine, banking systems, document issuance, e-commerce, and digital government services.
Data from the TIC Domicílios 2025 survey, by CGI.br and Cetic.br, shows that 86% of Brazilian households had internet access in 2025. The number indicates progress, but does not solve the problem, because inequality appears in the quality of the connection, the type of access, and the dependence on mobile phones.
The same survey pointed out 157 million internet users in the country in 2025. However, the difference between urban and rural areas remained visible: the proportion of users was 86% in urban areas and 77% in rural areas, indicating that the challenge is not only to connect, but to connect better.
Another data point helps to understand the importance of fixed and more robust networks. According to TIC Domicílios 2025, 64 million people reported that their mobile data package ran out at least once in the three months prior to the survey, and this situation affected 49% of residents in the Northeast who owned a mobile phone.
Fust gains a more practical role in the expansion of connectivity
Fust was created to support the universalization of telecommunications services and reduce access inequalities. According to information from BNDES, the fund finances projects for the expansion and improvement of networks, focusing on underserved urban areas, rural regions, schools, health units, and locations with low-quality connections.
In the case of the Aloo Telecom project, the approved investment is part of the BNDES Fust program. The line allows financing for telecommunications works and, according to the bank, has already approved more than R$ 3 billion since 2023 to expand broadband networks in different regions of the country.
BNDES reported that these resources have already supported projects from 494 service providers, 98% of which are micro, small, and medium-sized. The role of this type of company is important because many municipalities in the interior depend on regional providers to receive broadband where large operators do not always arrive first.
According to the bank, BNDES Fust projects have already reached 1,286 Brazilian municipalities. The distribution reported by BNDES shows presence in all regions, with 31% of the supported municipalities in the Northeast, which reinforces the priority given to connectivity outside major urban centers.
Project should generate jobs and prepare the region for new digital services
In addition to improving the internet, the project is expected to boost the local economy during the implementation phase. According to an estimate released by the Ministry of Communications and BNDES, the number of direct employees of the company is expected to increase from 350 to 511 during the works.
After the completion of the deployment, the forecast is to maintain more than 400 permanent jobs. This effect is important because digital infrastructure projects not only generate cables and equipment but also demand for technicians, maintenance teams, support, network operation, and customer service.
The BNDES also links the new high-capacity route to the possibility of expanding data centers and cloud computing services in the Northeast. This is because companies that process large volumes of data depend on stable networks, low latency, and transmission capacity to operate outside traditional hubs.
For inland cities, the arrival of stronger infrastructure can open up space for new digital businesses. Small companies can sell online with more stability, schools can use educational platforms with fewer interruptions, and public services can operate with more predictability.
Digital inclusion depends on infrastructure and quality of access
The advancement of fiber optics in the Northeast occurs at a time when the internet has become part of the basic routine of the population. Today, banking services, enrollment in social programs, medical consultations, classes, remote work, and document issuance increasingly go through digital platforms.
The problem is that being “connected” does not necessarily mean having a sufficient connection. Families that rely solely on limited mobile packages, unstable signals, or slow internet end up having partial access to digital opportunities, especially when they need to study, work, or resolve public services online.
Therefore, high-capacity transport network projects have a structural impact. They do not automatically replace the consumer’s internet subscription, but they create a foundation for providers to expand offerings, improve quality, and reduce bottlenecks in regions that previously had little infrastructure.
The expansion can also increase local competition. When there is more capacity available on the network, regional providers can improve plans, expand coverage, and compete for customers in areas where connectivity was limited or more expensive.
Next steps require monitoring of execution
Despite the project’s potential, the real impact will depend on the execution of the work, meeting deadlines, and the ability to transform the new fiber route into accessible services for residents, companies, and public agencies. The approval of financing is an important step, but it does not yet mean that all users will feel an immediate improvement.
Another point of attention is ensuring that the infrastructure reaches the areas that need it most. The Fust aims to reduce regional inequalities, so public monitoring of investments helps measure whether the policy is connecting schools, small towns, rural areas, and communities with low access.
If the project progresses as planned, the Northeast may gain a new base to support more modern digital services. In a region with millions of people outside the major economic centers, high-speed internet can mean more access to education, income, health, innovation, and business opportunities.
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