ABSTRACT
From the perspective of national development, some of the problems that Brazil faces are common to many developing countries: disparity of wealth between population groups, a newly urbanized citizenry facing overcrowding, overpopulation, and poverty. This chapter outlines some of the historical precedents that underlie Brazil present telecommunications system and the emerging role of wireless communications as a driver of sector transformation. During the 1940s and 1950s, a number of multinational firms played a dominant role in the provision of wireless and wireline communications services, including telegraphy and telephony. The Code granted the state a monopoly in the operation and regulation of telecommunications activities, and established a National Telecommunications Council to reduce market fragmentation and rationalize equipment supplies.
