Giants Ready To
Compete In Costa
Rica's Cellular
Market
The day when in
Costa Rica
consumers can
choose their
cellular
telephone
carrier is
coming closer
and the big
players are
getting ready to
compete against
the state owned
telecom that has
been a monopoly
in Costa Rica
for six decades
and currently
the sole
operator, the
Instituto
Costarricense de
Electricidad
(ICE).
According to the
Superintendencia
de
Telecomunicaciones
(Sutel) the
choice of three
new operators
will be made
within the
coming six
months and the
winners have to
be ready to
start their
operations.
Although a
decision last
week by Costa
Rica's
Constitutional
Court (Sala
Constitucional)
orders the Sutel
to make the
decision final
within three
months.
If the Sutel
keeps to its
schedule and
there are no
more delays, by
the first
quarter or half
of 2011,
consumers will
be able to
choose their
operator and the
plan that suits
best their
telecommunications
needs.
In the play for
one of three
licenses are
Millicom that
operates under
the brand name,
Tigo; America
Movil with its
Clario brand;
Telefonica
operating under
Movistar;
Panama's Cable &
Wirelss; and the
Caribbean
company, Digicel.
All the
companies have
extensive
operations in
Latin America
and have been
eyeing Costa
Rica's market
for the last two
to three years.
Each operator
brings a wealth
of experience
and services to
the Costa Rica's
market not
offered by ICE.
The Sutel is
expected to
publish the
bidding cartel
within the
coming weeks. |
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