Brazil's total mobile user base increases to 116 million.(BRAZIL)(Brief article)

Latin America Telecom, February, 2008

Brazil added 1.6 million mobile lines in November 2007, increasing its total mobile user base to 116 million, according to telecommunications regulator Anatel.

The cellular penetration rate increased to 61.2 percent by the end of November 2007, from 60.4 percent at the end of October 2007. Around 80.3 percent of the mobile subscriber base in the country consistes of prepaid users. Brazil's biggest mobile service provider, Vivo, had a market share of 27.6 percent at the end of November.

TIM's market share reached 25.9 percent, while Claro increased its share to 25.0 percent in November 2007 from 24.9 percent in the previous month.

Brazil was likely to have had 120 million telephone users by the end of 2007, according to Anatel president Ronaldo Sardenberg.