Besides repaying debts and rehabilitating its finances, the only investment planned for 2002 by Net (ex-Globo Cabo) is network digitization, which will also be the priority in 2003 and 2004. It expects average revenue per subscriber to increase thanks to enhanced quality of service and the introduction of value-added products such as near-video-on-demand. The prospectus offered to investors interested in new shares says around 200 of the network?s 2,796 nodes will be digitized in 2002, followed by a further 410 by the end of 2003, and 620 in 2004. All digital nodes will be located in high-income, high-penetration areas. A hybrid commercial model will be adopted: subscribers will receive a simple low-cost set-top, but more sophisticated versions will be available through retailers. The idea is to wage a frontal assault on the DTH segment. Net has no plans to drive sales of Vírtua, the broadband Internet service, which will remain positioned as a premium product with superior quality to ADSL and access to exclusive content. Partnerships with ISPs are being developed for this purpose.
New services
