Trancoso

CONNECTING NATURE AND INNOVATION

The municipality of Porto Segura forms, together with Santa Cruz Cabralia and Belmonte, the so-called Costa do Descobrimento, where the Portuguese squadron commanded by Pedro Alvares Cabral first landed in Brazil on April 22, 1500. The region is one of the most visited in northeastern Brazil by domestic and foreign tourists. The public visiting the beautiful beaches, inns, hotels, and resorts desires quality mobile coverage all year round, especially during high season and main festive periods,such as Carnival and New Year’s Eve.

However, a series of delicate issues have slowed down the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure in the region and, consequently, the availability of a good mobile connection. The Costa do Descobrimento bears the marks of the first European occupation of Brazil. The historic centers are the first urban formations of Portuguese colonization, including Jesuit villages founded in the 16th century. In addition, the region is home to eight nature reserves and 23 environmental protection areas,with some of the largest remaining continuous fragments of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most threatened tropical ecosystems on the planet, and also has indigenous reserves where thousands of descendants of Brazil’s original peoples live.

Because of its historical, cultural, and natural importance, the Costa do Descobrimento was awarded the title of World Heritage Site by UNESCO in December 1999. The site is also under the strict supervision of the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (lnstituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional – IPHAN) since 1983. IPHAN is the Brazilian governmental institution responsible for the preserving, protecting, and promoting the country’s cultural heritage, including tangible and intangible assets. On the Costa do Descobrimento, the Institute seeks to conserve historic sites, monitor tourist activities, and manage cultural assets to guarantee the protection and appreciation of this important Brazilian historical heritage.

The region required an integrated project that would bring together the preservation of historical and natural features and would be able to be licensed by municipal, environmental, and heritage entities. It became one of the most challenging and longest projects ever carried out by QMC in Brazil.

SUSTAINABLE AND INTEGRATED APPROACH

A thorough mapping of the region began in 2018, seeking to identify the areas with the most significant demand and deficiencies in coverage and capacity. At the same time, the types of solutions best suited to each area were studied to cause the least visual and environmental impacts. With so many variables involved, several alternatives were discussed with clients, city councils, IPHAN, and landowners to find an optimum configuration that would meet everyone’s conditions and needs. In the end, twenty sites have been selected to house the infrastructure.

There were many requirements for each of them. Large, traditional towers, for example, had been discarded. The goal was to create wireless sites that would fit into the current landscape. The use of special poles, light poles, and camouflaged structures became the best alternatives.

The final proposal was approved by all parties. The confidence in a functional and harmonious project was growing. In recent years, several attempts to bring quality coverage to the region had failed, but this time would be different.

SURPASSING OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVING EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS

The project started in September 2018 and took eight months of planning. After this period, the certification and licensing of each of the twenty infrastructures began.

In early 2020, however, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Brazil, immediately delaying the licensing processes and the start of construction. Implementation resumed at the end of 2020, and the first infrastructures were delivered in 2021. The system was already 100% functional during New Year’s Eve 2021-22, including 5G NR availability, radically improving the connectivity experience at beaches, hotels, inns, condominiums, and restaurants, especially during the peak holiday season.

Throughout 2022, the remainder of the project was implemented. Site by site, the region displayed infrastructures camouflaged as coconut trees and special poles. Also, light poles at the villages were fitted with stealth SLS. Twenty infrastructures are present in Arraial d’Ajuda, Caraíva, Porto Seguro, and Trancoso, the latter hosting ten in total.

The result was exceptional: all the solutions exceeded the proposed levels of coverage and capacity, changing the reality of the region not only for tourists but also for residents and entrepreneurs. The success of the project has also sparked interest in extending coverage to other villages and districts, making the Costa do Descobrimento increasingly connected.

TECHNICAL SUMMARY

Results: connectivity through the rocks

When anyone goes on vacation to a superb location, there is a baseline expectation around that experience. There are some things that you don’t even think about lacking, once they have become so omnipresent. Cellular coverage is one of those.

For El Dorado, given its with high profile guests, not providing such an essential service was entirely out of the question. It was essential for customers to connect with their families and friends and be able to share their updates via exciting social media experiences.

That’s why El Dorado was one of the first special projects QMC attempted. From a commercial and technical perspective, we have that vision of the future: connectivity is here to stay.

Trancoso

CONNECTING NATURE AND INNOVATION

SUSTAINABLE AND INTEGRATED APPROACH

SURPASSING OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVING EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS

TECHNICAL SUMMARY

Results: connectivity through the rocks

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