By Jake Spring
BRASILIA, March 2 (Reuters) - The Brazilian unit of Spanish telecom Telefonica SA TEF.MC said on Tuesday that it had reached a deal with Canadian pension fund CDPQ to create a joint venture that will develop a "neutral and independent" fiber optic network in Brazil.
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) will invest up to 1.8 billion reais ($317 million) in the venture, receiving a 50% voting share. Telefonica Brasil VIVT4.SA will have a 25% voting stake, while Telefonica Infra, another subsidiary of the Spanish companiy, will have the remaining 25% share.
($1 = 5.6761 reais) ($1 = 5.6761 reais)