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"Costa
Rica, You gotta love it!"
My latest head 'scratcher' is the current situation at
ICE, the local great telephone company that connects us
by telephone to the world, through it's subsidiary RACSA,
(a story for another day) we can access the internet and
the CNFL (power company), let there be light!
Well, most of the time.
ICE, as part of it's telephone service is the sole
provider of cellular service in the country. I heard a
story that some years back the powers that be of the day
at that great institution, did not believe that cellular
telephones would be something that we all would want or
use.
So, over the years, we have been struggling with a
system that took months - many of them - to get
connected to their system. Yes, you could by a telephone
anywhere, but you needed to apply for cellular service
and then wait, until there were lines available.
About 12 months ago, the introduction of GSM service was
announced. After the usual bru-ha-ha of bidding and
finger pointing at this and that and then the regulatory
commission saying the contract to install the service,
won by Alcatel, was flawed and this, that and the other,
we were told that it would be ready in October
(2002). Then it was to be in November. Finally the
middle of December the system was now ready and active.
With me so far? Great, no?
Well, as the way that many things go in Costa Rica,
cellular service got worse. I am on the old system, but
have been told the new one is no different. The sporadic
loss of a call now has become a constant loss. Noise and
interference sometimes makes it impossible carry on a
conversation. You can spot those red and white towers
all over San Jose, that are supposed to carry our calls,
but.
If that isn't enough, screw around with the customers
even more. It was recently announced, that due to the
high number of 'contraband' telephones in the country,
you would need to show proof of purchase before you
could connect the unit to their system.
ICE would be held responsible if they connected a
telephone unit where it was not purchased legally at a
retail outlet by asking for proof of purchase or if you
brought it in from outside Costa Rica, to show your
passport stamp that the unit was declared at customs and
taxes paid.
The fine? 260.000 colones or $650 fine for the customer.
Duh!
Then, it was decided (at ICE) that this was not really
the case. For about two weeks, depending on where you
went to connect your telephone unit - remember there is
only service provider, many offices, but still one
service provider - you could get your 'contraband' phone
connected.
On Wednesday this week it was made official by ICE, you
do not need proof of purchase. But, yesterday
(Saturday), a whole bunch of people got involved with
this, including the President of the Republic, and,
well, you will need proof of purchase.
It's now official. Or is it? I think I will wait some
more.
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