New Brazilian mobile operator Unicel plans to launch its first commercial services in the Sao Paulo metropolitan area on September 7. According to TeleGeography, which cites a BNamericas report, Unicel president and CEO Jose Roberto Melo da Silva says the operator is looking to attract 500,000 subscribers in its first year of operations and has already invested BRL250 million (US$158 million) in building-out its network. Using the brand name ‘Aeiou,’ Unicel will initially offer a prepaid-only service in the state capital as well as in Guarulhos, Osasco, Santo Andre, So Bernardo, Sao Caetano and Diadema. Unicel paid BRL93.8 million (US$60 million) for a GSM licence in the region in October 2007.

According to TeleGeography, the Sao Paulo metropolitan market is already served by the likes of rival operators Vivo, Claro and TIM Brasil, while Oi (Telemar) has also indicated it will launch services there in October.