Huawei uses Brazil exhibition to show products

Chinese networking and telecommunication equipment and services company Huawei eyes to enlarge its share in Brazil's mobile market through becoming one of the largest sponsors of the 2014 Futurecom, the largest telecommunication exhibition in Brazil. Zhang Fan / China Daily

Huawei, the Chinese networking and telecommunications equipment and services company, displayed its mobile devices at the 2014 Futurecom, the biggest telecommunications exhibition in Brazil, where it is looking to the increase its share of the market.

The 16th Futurecom was held in Sao Paulo from October 14-16. About 350 local and international telecom and service companies participated and the number of visitors reached 15,300.

Huawei and 10 other large companies, including Ericsson, Nokia and Tim, were among the event's biggest sponsors. It was Huawei's 14th year as a main sponsor of Futurecom.

"We hope to take this chance to better introduce our mobile products especially the smart phones and wireless routers," said Cao Beijing, vice-president of the Southern South America Region of Huawei Brazil.

Huawei has been in the Brazilian market for 15 years and is one of the largest suppliers of telecommunications equipment in the country, with a local market share of 40 percent mainly concentrated in the infrastructure market.

At the exhibition, Huawei promoted a number of its mobile products, including its newest phone Ascend Mate 7, first released in September.

"After years of development in Brazil, we have built close cooperation with local telecom operators such as Vivo and Tim, and customers are now familiar with our mobile products. So these products are our main focus this time," said Cao.

"We have participated the event for five years, it is a great chance to increase our company's presence in Brazilian market," said Hu Jia, chief representative of FiberHome Brazil

The company, with headquarters in Wuhan, Hubei province, established its Brazilian branch in 2012 and has cooperated with giant telecommunications provider Telefonica and local companies, including Tim and Oi

"We have high expectations for the Brazilian market, though it still has some problems that we need to adapt to, especially its tax system. Our products enjoy significant technological advantages and we will enlarge production in Brazil," said Yang Risheng, representative of the president of Zhongtian Technology Group (ZTT).

ZTT built a joint venture company with local partner, Alexandre Prioste, in 2013 and holds ZTT 51 percent of the enterprise.

It recently launched a new cable factory in the city of Macio, Alagoas state, in northern Brazil. The factory has three production lines and will have with monthly production capacity of 3,000 kilometers when it starts operation early next year.

"It is the first cable factory in Alagoas, and we are welcomed by the local government. The factory will create 80 job opportunities for local people," said Wang Lirong, sales manager of ZTT's international division.

Chen Xi, the Chinese consulate general to Sao Paulo, said at the exhibition that it is a good sign that more and more Chinese companies participated in the exhibition because it is an effective way to build the image of Chinese companies and products.

According to tBrazil's Ministry of Communication, the country has 105 million Internet users, and the number is increasing, especially in the north and northeast states. The large market has attracted a number of competitive Chinese companies such as phone producer Xiaomi, search engine Baidu and most recently Alibaba.

"It shows that Chinese companies are getting more interested in Brazil's telecommunications market, and I believe that is a positive development," Chen said.