European high-speed Internet provider
chello broadband
announced Friday that it has opened an office in
Brazil in preparation for the introduction of its services
to Latin America.
chello, an operating company of United Pan Europe
Communications (UPC), says it will provide a high-speed
Internet service in Latin America within the next 12 months.
At the end of last year, chello purchased Lotier International,
a broadband operation founded by Fares Nassar who will
head the chello service in Latin America. Previously, Lotier
conducted cable modem trials in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia,
Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, paving the way for the new
venture.
Roger Lynch, president and CEO of chello broadband, said
that chello’s European experience had proved that it
could scale quickly on many levels.
“chello’s local-language approach and celebration of
cultural diversity across European markets give us the
expertise to successfully design and deliver specialized
broadband content in Portugese and Spanish with a keen
local-focus,” said Lynch.
At the end of January 2000, chello had 133,700 European
subscribers in six countries, having grown nearly 400 per cent
during 1999.
Mitch Clarke, managing director of sales and affiliate
operations of chello broadband, said the company’s strategy
was to partner with broadband network operators that are
large enough to provide a substantial footprint, and nimble
enough to move quickly.
In Europe, chello aims its service at both business and
residential subscribers, and provides cable operators and
other broadband networks with access to the high-speed Internet.
Outside Europe, chello has established offices in Washington DC,
and Sydney, Australia. In Australia it operates with United
Globalcom (UGC) affiliate AUSTAR United Communications and
distributes the broadband service via satellite.
