Alternatives for community metropolitan networks for the major cities of the Amazon region of Brazil: the case of Belem

We make a comparative analysis of two proposals for setting up a facilities-based metropolitan network to serve the education and research community in the city of Belem do Para in Brazil, using the "do-it-yourself" (DIY) model of building infrastructure, and benefiting around a dozen research and education institutions. The first alternative is to build a fiber optic network, using Gigabit Ethernet technology. The second one uses a metropolitan wireless network, based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, studying the feasibility of the use of this technology in a context with the particular characteristics of the Amazon region. In both cases, we show that the capital cost for each institution is feasible, and that the total cost in the medium term is lower than the recurrent costs of maintaining the traditional model based on telecommunications provider services.