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The shared infrastructure project helping to strengthen digital inclusion, public services and sustainability was made possible by IHS Brazil
October 02, 2025, São Paulo: Today, an unprecedented initiative brings together Brazil’s three largest mobile network operators, Claro, Vivo and TIM, to deliver high-quality connectivity to Ilha do Combu, Belém (Pará), through the construction of a shared mobile phone tower in partnership with IHS Brazil, part of the IHS Towers group. The inauguration will take place on October 3, a month before the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 30), in Belém, the capital of Pará.
Ilha do Combu is the fourth largest island in Belém, located 1.5 km from the edge of the Belém municipality in an area with a high concentration of biodiversity. The territory is home to approximately 600 riverside families, who live from artisanal fishing, plant extraction and tourism.
In addition to its environmental and cultural importance, Combu Island is one of the region’s most popular tourist destinations and has gained greater visibility with recent events, such as Amazônia Para Sempre, held in September, and the upcoming COP 30.
Overcoming challenges with collaboration
For decades, Combu Island has remained without access to quality connectivity. For over 20 years, operators have been trying to take coverage to the region but had faced unique challenges, such as the complex logistics of setting up in an exclusively riverine transport environment, environmental constraints to preserve high biological diversity, and the technical difficulty of erecting structures in wetland.
This lack of connectivity has hindered residents’ quality of life, the development of tourism, and the modernization of essential public services.
This new site was possible because of the collaboration between Claro, Vivo, TIM, and IHS Brazil, in addition to the Government of Pará, who joined together to overcome these historical barriers to implementation.
IHS Brazil collaborated through an innovative engineering project, constructing a 60-meter tower with a smaller base and the equipment installed within the structure. These features eliminated the need for multiple external cabinets, helped minimize the visual impact on the landscape and preserved more native vegetation around the site. Capable of hosting the three operators at the tower’s top, this site reinforces the concept of shared infrastructure, reducing redundancies and enhancing social and environmental benefits.
Following the activation of the tower, the local community, schools, health units, entrepreneurs and visitors will have access to high-quality 4G and 5G mobile services. Connectivity will help enable digital education, telemedicine, financial inclusion through electronic means of payment, strengthening tourism and boosting the local economy.
"Claro's presence on the new tower will allow for expanded coverage and a better service experience for residents and visitors. This will boost education, health and local entrepreneurship. In a territory like Combu, shared infrastructure is the best way to deliver quality connectivity and leave a legacy for a relevant region, which will be highlighted during COP 30", says Rosa Bastos, Director, Claro North Region.
"TIM, as the leader of 5G and 4G coverage in Brazil, works towards digital inclusion throughout Brazil. We are committed to the digital transformation of society and we also reiterate the importance of sharing infrastructure, as done on Combu Island, not only for the optimization of infrastructure, but mainly for the benefit of the riverside community, prioritizing the quality of service, stimulating the local economy and improving people's lives", emphasizes Marco Di Costanzo, CTO, TIM Brasil.
"Bringing connectivity to Ilha do Combu is expanding the right to be connected. With Vivo's participation in this project, we strengthen essential digital services and the productive inclusion of riverside communities, in addition to supporting the operation of COP 30 and its legacy for Belém. It is an investment with a positive socio-environmental impact", highlights Elmo Matos, Director, Core and Mobile, Vivo.
"This is a shared, unprecedented infrastructure solution on Combu Island, which has benefitted from all three operators being on the project from day one. Connectivity in this context means social inclusion, support for public policies, and reduced environmental impact through infrastructure sharing — a model that we want to replicate in other regions of the Amazon," says Rafael Podestá, CRO, IHS Latam.
Legacy for COP 30
The project was accelerated to finish in time for COP 30. Belém will host the Convention in November, bringing together more than 40,000 visitors including delegations, press and civil society. Connectivity on Combu Island reinforces the event's legacy for the region and demonstrates the capacity for collaboration between the private sector and public authorities.
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About Claro: Claro is the largest Telecommunications group in Latin America and one of the largest multi-service operators in Brazil, present in all regions of the country. It is in more than 4,800 Brazilian municipalities and its networks provide services to about 98% of the population. Claro offers integrated connectivity, entertainment, productivity and digital services solutions in a truly convergent way, on various fixed and mobile platforms. In 2019, the company created beOn Claro, its innovation hub, to facilitate, enhance and connect innovation inside and outside the company. Claro is the leader in pay TV, fixed broadband and the fastest growing operator in mobile services. Through the Claro empresas brand, it also leads the business services segment, which include cloud, telecom, IT and network and application security offers. The MNO also has Claro 5G available in regions of all states and the Federal District. And, according to measurements carried out by Speedtest®, Claro has the fastest internet in Brazil on 5G and Wi-Fi. Claro's 5G network is the fastest in Brazil and offers the best latency, the best 5G gaming experience and the best video streaming experience on Brazil's 5G network. Claro is part of América Móvil, with a presence in 25 countries in Latin America and also in Europe and the United States. For more information: imprensaclaro@inpresspni.com.br
About TIM: “To evolve together with respect and courage, transforming technology into freedom” is the purpose of TIM, which has been operating in Brazil for more than 25 years, leading important market movements and bringing digital transformation to different areas of society. The operator has the largest 5G coverage in the country and is the only one to reach all cities with the 4G network, in line with its protagonist attitude and its signature: "Imagine the possibilities". The company's evolution is always accompanied by a commitment to the best environmental, social and governance practices. Therefore, it is the first and only company in the telecommunications sector present in all sustainability portfolios of the Brazilian stock exchange: Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE B3), Carbon Efficient Index (ICO2 B3), IDIVERSA B3 and IGPTW B3. For more information, visit www.tim.com.br.
About Vivo: Vivo is the commercial brand of Telefônica Brasil, a leading telecommunications company in the country, with more than 116.2 million accesses (2Q25) and its purpose is to "Digitize to Bring Closer". Vivo is a digital hub, making it easy for its customers to access services in different areas, such as entertainment, sports, digital security, finance, health, and education. It operates in the provision of fixed and mobile telecommunications services throughout the national territory and has a complete and convergent product portfolio for B2C and B2B customers. In the mobile segment, Vivo has 102.4 million accesses and accounts for the largest market share in the segment (38.5%) in the country, according to quarterly results (2Q25). Guided by constant innovation and the high quality of its services, Vivo is at the center of a Digital transformation, which expands the autonomy, personalization and real-time choices of its customers, putting them in charge of their digital life, safely and reliably. Telefónica Brasil is part of the Telefónica Group, one of the largest communication conglomerates in the world. Aware of its responsibility to repay society for the trust it receives in the use of its services, the company relies on the Telefônica Vivo Foundation. For 25 years in Brazil, the Telefônica Vivo Foundation is one of the main pillars of social responsibility in Vivo's ESG concept. With a focus on education in public schools, it contributes to the development and digital inclusion of students and educators through projects that stimulate new teaching and learning opportunities.
About IHS Towers: IHS Towers is one of the world's largest independent owners, operators and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count and is solely focused on the emerging markets. The company has over 39,000 towers across its eight markets, including Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia. For more information, please email: communications@ihstowers.com or visit: www.ihstowers.com.