Wireless, landline, mobile, cable, satellite, Internet and Voice Over Internet Protocol or VoIP. These are just some of the types of services offered by telecom providers.

No matter which part of the world it is that you are in, the modernity of the telecommunication facilities offered by the major telecom providers in your area will have an impact with the way that you communicate with the rest of the world.

For example, if you do not have broadband access in the area where you live - it may not be possible for you to take part-time jobs which are home-based, online. This is due to the fact that you will not have access to a high-speed Internet connection which should have allowed you to take home your work - or even work on a full-time job online.

Another thing - if you live in a remote area and satellite is the only means for you to have a connection to the Internet, or subscribe to satellite television - this means that you would have to pay a more expensive rate, as compared to someone whose area has access to a broadband connection.

All about Brazil

As illustrated in the examples above, the sophistication of a country's telecom facilities has a big impact on its progressiveness as a country.

With a South American country like Brazil, how does the telecommunications industry look like?

First up, here are a few quick facts about the country:

- Brazil is the largest and most populous country in South America.
- Brazil is the fifth most populous county in the world.
- Brazil ranks tenth among the largest economies in the world.

What are the Major Telecoms in Brazil?

Generally, the telecommunications industry in Brazil is among the best in the region. As compared to other developing countries, Brazil can lay claim to the fact that they have a domestic production of digital telecom equipment.

The digital telecom equipment that they have is a combination or public and private cooperation. As a result of having this modern telecommunication facility, it is now possible to make cheap calls and international calls when you are calling from Brazil.

So what are some of the major telecoms provider in Brazil? First up, there is Brasil Telecom S.A. This company is a result of the breaking down of Telebrás, a state-owned telephone system which was monopolized by the government.

Telebrás was broken down in July of 1998 into 12 companies, including Telecom S.A. Aside from this, Embratel is a long distance telecom provider which came from Telebrás.

When it comes to the Internet Services Provider or ISP's in Brazil, one of the best is Equant. In 2001, this was named Brazil's "Best IP Services Provider".

Finally, in the mobile telecoms industry, some of the providers include Vivo, Claro, TIM Brazil, Telesp and CTBC and Brasil Telecom GSM.

All in all, the telecom industry in Brazil is active and continuously growing, thanks to the modern advancements of technology in this industry.