U.S. Complains Over Telecom Opening in Costa Rica

Costa Rica committed to open its telecom market before February 5 when it signed DR-CAFTA.

Friday, April 9, 2010


©image: Alpha

A report by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which analyzed telecommunications compliance, requested Costa Rica to urgently complete the opening process.

George Miley, president of the Costa Rican Telecommunications Superintendence, explained that the bidding rules were ready in December, but in order to continue the process, the Environment Ministry must still deliver the microwave frequencies. Such frequencies are used to send cellular signals between towers and linking them to the systems of each of the telecomm providers.

More on this topic

Costa Rica Resumes Mobile Telephony Auction

March 2010

The Telecommunications Superintendence was authorized by the Comptroller of the Republic to resume the process for auctioning mobile telephony frequencies.

This process was halted in January, as some legislators questioned the transparency of the bidding rules.

Congressmen argued if it was adequate to have law firm BLP involved in defining the bidding rules, as this firm represents some of the companies interested in the process.

Costa Rica: SUTEL completes integration

January 2009

After months in a difficult process, the Superintendence of Telecommunications has finally be formed.

According to reports by MIPUNTO.com, "The institution was created as a result of the privitization of mobile telephone and internet services as contemplated in the Free Trade Agreement between Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States, which came into effect in Costa Rica on January 1.

Costa Rica Publishes Draft Bidding Rules for Mobile Telephony

April 2010

This week, the telecommunications superintendence (SUTEL) will publish preliminary bidding rules for opening the telephony market.

George Miley, president of the board at Sutel, explained that this document will be available at the website of the Public Services Authority (ARESEP) for an entire month.

Costa Rica: Cell Phone Competition by end of 2011

November 2010

December 14 is the deadline for reception of offers, but it won´t be until late 2011 that the market will finally be open to competition.

The Superintendent of Telecommunications, George Miley, described the process of allocating frequencies and the scheduled. The frequencies should be awarded by April 2011, four months after offers are submitted.

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