Telecom Federation President Warns of Infrastructure Risks Due to El Niño

Vivien Suruagy, president of the telecommunications federation Feninfra and partner at Icomon Tecnologia, stated that the arrival of the super El Niño increases risks associated with tangled wires on city power poles. In an interview with the C-Level videocast, Suruagy claimed that energy companies have neglected pole maintenance and allowed irregular companies to install wiring haphazardly. She estimated that of the 50 million poles in Brazil, approximately 17 million are in a deplorable state, which she says leads to worker deaths and cybersecurity risks.

While Suruagy dismissed the possibility of a total telecommunications blackout, she noted that the sector is not prepared for the worsening of natural disasters like El Niño. She highlighted a significant disparity in traffic, noting that six big tech companies account for 50 percent of network traffic and 82.5 percent of mobile network traffic. Consequently, she argued that these companies should be subject to Anatel regulations and taxed on their revenue within Brazil. She also expressed opposition to a project creating a new Cade superintendency for digital markets, citing a lack of technical personnel and structure.

Regarding the broader economic landscape, Suruagy predicted price increases following tax reform and anticipated strong pressure for payroll tax exemptions after the elections. She criticized the government for a historical lack of concern regarding the critical nature of telecommunications infrastructure, arguing that the country would stop functioning immediately if the internet failed.