The Internet in Brazil: Growth and Opportunity

Paul Lima     

Brazil’s sustained economic growth continues to be an example for economies in Latin America and throughout the world.  The Brazilian Ministry of Finance’s 2012 projections are once again very encouraging, predicting an estimated growth rate of approximately 4.5%.

These indicators have impacted internet consumption habits throughout Brazil.  In recent years, internet usage at all levels of society has increased steadily, reaching a high of 75 million users today.  In 2011, the number of mobile internet users nearly doubled.  And 99.8% of all new internet plan subscriptions were for mobile phones, tablets, and 3G modems. 

This kind of growth doesn’t happen by chance.  In fact, the UN believes that expanded use of the internet is a key factor in reducing poverty and promoting economic growth.  This could be because the internet plays a fundamental role in modernizing traditional economic activities.  And Brazil as a nation is definitely in line with development and innovation.

The way that development and innovation plays out in reality is this: A broader range of high quality services is created to meet the population’s needs.  More research is conducted within the country’s borders, more businesses are established, more jobs are generated, and the number of people with access to banks increases.  Consequently, Brazilians have greater access to buying and selling mobile phones, resulting in both the creation of new media and the expansion of existing forms of communication. 

Ultimately, it seems that Brazil is currently walking the path already taken by other nations with developed economies.  The country’s vision is oriented towards adopting, improving, and transforming the way work is done, business is conducted, and personal interactions take place.  All this allows Brazil to successfully face the challenges of being an information-driven society in the 21^st century.