"They told us that the third generation of cellular telephones could be ready for 2008 and we're still waiting for it. The internet conection using 2-G cell phones is inadequate."
This was the complaint of Jui Yang Wong, one of the executives who urgently wants the high-level telecommunication service, and who had faith that the quality of service would improve with the arrival of the third generation (3-G).
Wong's skepticism could grow following the latest reversal suffered by the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) on Monday. The General Control for the Republic refused the contract with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration to rent the high-technology telephone network for 225 million dollars.
"We can't deny that there has been a delay but it appears that the ICE is doing its best to put it in place quickly," said Alexander Mora, president of the Chamber of Information Technology and Communication (Camtic).
"The wireless internet project using Wi-Max is just as basic as bringing in the third generation, because both will establish the necessary platform for allowing mass access to the network, which will be sold to complement the pre-paid feature," he said.
Source: La República
More on this topic
October 2008
The second tender process for the 3G network will be launched this week after the failure of the first process.
If there are no more setbacks, the Costa Rica Institute of Electricity (ICE) will make changes to the tender in order to encourage more companies to participate.
September 2008
The Costa Rica Institute of Electricity (ICE) confirmed yesterday that it has rejected Huawei Technologies' offer for 1.5 million 3G cellular lines.
The offer was too expensive and did not meet coverage requirements, declared Pedro Pablo Quirós, president of ICE.
Only Huawei participated in the bidding for this contract. Another four telephone companies refrained from participating alleging that the process lacked clarity.
August 2008
Costa Rica's monopoly GSM network operator, ICE, has decided not to accept a sole bid from China's Huawei for the supply of a 3G network.
The company has come under political pressure from the Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias to reject the contract, and will consider retendering the contract.
August 2008
The chinese firm Huawei made an offer of $582.862 million for the 3G mobile phone project under development by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad.
This is the only offer so far for the 1.5 million mobile phone lines tender, which ICE is promoting since 2007.
Huawei offered a leasing in association with the Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica (BCIE), which is structured in 20 payments for 5 years, with a purchasing option on behalf of ICE. The offer is valid for 60 days.
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