In the telecommunications sector, the government amended the constitution in 1995 to end the state's monopoly in this field. The Telebras telephone monopoly was split up in 1998. In the transportation sector, the government privatized all seven railway firms in 1997-97 and has either privatized or turned over to the states most of the federal highway network. The government is also considering a privatization of Infraero, which runs the country's sixty-seven airports. Infrastructure Most products reach Brazil by sea and must pass through Brazil's inefficiently run seaports.
Costs are high and turn-around time is long.
Bureaucracy and paper work can be a serious impediment at the ports. Port reform legislation, enacted in 1993, has not yet significantly improved port conditions. The Brazilian government has promised to privatize the port system. Santo constitute two ports in Brazil, which are partially privatized along the southeastern coast. Costs are lower and turnaround time shorter there.