Residents of the states of Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul will have access to a new mobile telephony operator, Brisanet, by the end of this month. According to a Teletime report, the offering will begin on the 26th, starting with smaller municipalities with populations under 30,000 inhabitants.
Brisanet has experience in the market, having previously focused on the Northeast states. Currently, it ranks as the fourth largest fixed broadband operator in the country, holding a 2.8% share, trailing Claro, Vivo, and Nio. In the mobile segment, the company began operating in the Northeast region in 2023, after obtaining spectrum licenses for 3.5 GHz (band n78) and 2300 MHz (band 40/n40) during the 2021 auction, in which other companies also acquired licenses, whether national or regional.
In May, Brisanet and other competing companies, such as Unifique, Amazônia 5G, and Iez!, also secured licenses for the 700 MHz band, which allows for greater capacity and coverage, increasing their service obligations. To date, Brisanet leads among the three new mobile operators, boasting just over one million customers, compared to the nearly 338,000 customers of Unifique and an undisclosed number by Iez! to Anatel as of June.
Unlike its operation in its home area, the introduction of mobile plans in the Central-West will be done through regional partners. This tactic is being adopted by the other two entrants (Unifique and Iez!), as well as several MVNOs. Superficially, this approach makes sense because it leverages the infrastructure already established by providers in these cities, in addition to reducing marketing costs for Brisanet. The company itself stated that in cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, commercialization will be the direct responsibility of Brisanet.
Brisanet's mobile plans currently start at R$ 29.99 (valid for the first 12 months) with 20 GB and can go up to R$ 59.99. In locations without proprietary coverage, Brisanet devices use the TIM network, but roaming usage is less costly than what is allowed on the proprietary network. The company also offers 5G FWA for R$ 129.90 with 500 GB or for R$ 179.90 with 1 TB.
Brisanet's expansion into the Central-West can be explained by the fact that, in 2021, it also secured the license to offer 5G telephony in the region. The initial coverage goals from the auctions (both 2021 and 2026) are approaching: by December 31st, the company must cover 30% of cities with up to 30,000 inhabitants with 5G in its coverage area, in addition to fully covering the unserved sections of BR-101 and 20% of a list of localities without 4G coverage.
62 cities in Goiás and 53 cities in Mato Grosso do Sul will be covered, with a projected investment of R$ 100 million, and another 115 cities will be included in 2027. CEO Roberto Roberto Nogueira told Teletime that he intends to cover all cities with up to 30,000 inhabitants in both the Northeast and Central-West by 2029, anticipating the deadline stipulated for industry companies.
At the moment, extremely competitive offers are not expected during this expansion phase, given that Brisanet seeks to increase its ARPU (average revenue per user) in the mobile segment, moving from the current R$ 20 to R$ 30 next year. The intention to generate greater return from the customer base reflects an industry trend, where large corporations are already implementing new packages with initial values equal to or higher than R$ 30.
