en.Wedoany.com Reported - On June 8, the government of Minas Gerais, Brazil, launched the third phase of the "Alô, Minas!" rural telecommunications coverage plan, which is expected to install up to 140 new antennas in different regions of the state, focusing on expanding mobile phone and internet service coverage in rural areas and remote communities. Coordinated by the State Secretariat for Planning and Management of Minas Gerais, the plan aims to continue addressing basic communication gaps in uncovered areas.
The core of the third phase of "Alô, Minas!" is to extend 4G mobile communications and basic internet services further into low-coverage areas. Minas Gerais is a large state with dispersed towns and rural communities, many of which have long faced issues such as weak mobile signals, communication disruptions, or insufficient internet access, affecting residents' daily contact, online government services, distance education, mobile payments, agricultural operations, and emergency services. The new antennas will prioritize serving rural communities and areas far from urban centers that have not yet achieved stable mobile communication coverage, improving local communication conditions through operator network construction. For grassroots residents, mobile signals and mobile internet are not just conveniences; they are also crucial for medical appointments, public safety assistance, agricultural information access, commercial transactions, students' online learning, and the use of government digital services. With the advancement of this new phase of antenna installation, more villages and towns will transition from "communication blind spots" to basic digital connectivity.
The plan has previously completed several deployment phases. Public information shows that the first phase covered 150 locations, and the second phase covered 34 locations; for the new phase, 125 locations have been selected for investment, with up to 140 antennas to be installed subsequently.
Rural communication coverage is a key component of Brazil's local digital inclusion policies. After the popularization of mobile internet in urban areas, the difficulty of communication infrastructure construction has gradually shifted to regions with lower population density, longer investment return cycles, and complex terrain. Operators often lack the incentive to invest independently in these areas. Local governments can lower the barriers to network construction through public plans, site coordination, operator cooperation, and long-term site guarantees. The previous "Alô, Minas!" plan in Minas Gerais required selected municipalities to provide land for the construction and installation of communication towers and to guarantee usage conditions for a certain period. This model helps combine the government's public service goals with operators' network construction capabilities, providing rural areas with more stable communication infrastructure.
The significance of this plan also lies in providing underlying support for the digitalization of agriculture, local commerce, and public services. Once rural areas have mobile phone and internet access, agricultural producers can more easily obtain information on weather, prices, logistics, finance, and technical services; local merchants can use online payment and digital marketing tools; and schools and health institutions can more smoothly access remote services. For government departments, improved communication coverage allows services such as digital identity verification, document processing, public safety notifications, disaster warnings, and social assistance to reach more residents. The deployment of up to 140 antennas in the third phase will further expand the coverage radius of rural digital infrastructure in Minas Gerais and lay the foundation for subsequent applications such as 5G, the Internet of Things, and smart agriculture.
The effectiveness of subsequent projects will depend on the progress of antenna installation, the level of operator participation, site selection, power supply, maintenance capabilities, and the actual usage costs for residents. For Minas Gerais, rural network coverage is not a one-time project but a long-term foundational investment to narrow the digital divide between urban and rural areas. As the third phase progresses, "Alô, Minas!" will continue to extend mobile communication services to more dispersed communities, creating more stable conditions for rural areas in the state to access the digital economy and public service systems.
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