World Wide Web Consortium Launches Office In Brazil

W3C announced the launch of its first W3C Office in South America: the
W3C Brazil Office, hosted by the NIC.br (Brazilian Network Information
Center) institute, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. W3C looks forward to increasing
interaction with the Portuguese-speaking community through this Office.
Moreover, the current IT landscape in Brazil aligns with exciting
current trends at W3C, such as mobile Web, Web applications, and video
on the Web. Brazil ranks with Russia, India and China -- countries
identified by the acronym BRIC in a 2003 report by the Goldman Sachs
Investment Bank -- as a rapidly growing emerging economy. According to
the report, these economies together may well surpass most of today's
richest countries by the year 2050. Initiatives from the private sector
and efforts by government agencies have promoted investment in business
and infrastructure, from domestic and international investors alike.
Brazil's diversity places the country in a position of distinction in
the South American continent and strongly influences the attraction of
foreign investment. It is the fifth largest country on the planet,
responsible for a very promising, predominantly urban, market.
Approximately 40 million Brazilians have Internet access, the highest
number of Internet users of any country in Latin America.
Telecommunications Industry News reported in October 2007 that the
number of wireless users in Brazil exceeds 112 million. Brazilian
companies compete effectively in a global market, and have delivered
world class solutions in areas of mobile banking, open-source technology,
Web accessibility, wireless Internet access, games industry, e-government
solutions and HD digital television. Regarding HDTV, the development
of a specific model of digital television turns the Brazilian market
into a gigantic laboratory for studying the application of that
technology. As its Members work to realize the full potential of the
Web, W3C collaborates with regional organizations wishing to further
W3C's mission. The W3C Offices assist with promotion efforts in local
languages, help broaden W3C's geographical base, and encourage
international participation in W3C Activities. W3C has Offices in
Australia; the Benelux countries; Brazil; China; Finland; Germany and
Austria; Greece; Hungary; India; Israel; Italy; Korea; Morocco; Southern
Africa; Spain; Sweden; and the United Kingdom and Ireland. More Information See also the Brazilian W3C web site: Click Here