America Movil (Claro) and Telefonica (Movistar) were the only ones to submit their cell phone service offerings.
By January 19th, 2011, the Evaluating Commission will open the bids and report to the Superintendence of Telecommunications (Sutel), after analyzing technical issues.
Through a spokesman, Cable & Wireless reported it will not participate.
At 24 days from reception of offers, Claro is the only company which has confirmed interest in participating in Costa Rica’s mobile telephony bidding process.
Consulted by newspaper La Nación, Cable & Wireless and Millicom said they are looking at the process while Digicel and Spanish Telefonica issued no statement.
"Digicel confirmed in July to have ready the design of a cellular network for Costa Rica, but yesterday only stated, 'We have no comment to questions'. Meanwhile, Telefónica did not make any comments."
The Comptroller General of Costa Rica, considering appeals filed by several companies, ordered changes.
Claims submitted by companies Cable & Wireless Costa Rica, Claro Costa Rica and Centennial Towers indicated the absence of key information, such as related to price caps (to end users), the cost of interconnection to ICE and fees to be paid to Sutel.
Digicel Panama, announce its strategy that the company will use to start competing this month in Panama against Cable & Wireless and Telefonica Movil.
The operations of Digicel starts with an investment of more than $350 million, a new GSM/EDGE network and the opening of the more than 100 exclusive stores countrywide on Tuesday.
Raul Burgos, executive president of Digicel Panam, explained that the launch of the operation will have close to 85% national coverage and they expect to be at 87% in two weeks and at 90% in one month.
The cost of cell phones in Panama is higher than what others in Central America and the Caribbean countries pay.
Digicel and Claro Panama, which obtained cellular licenses, should enter the Panama market in the next few months to start competing with Cable & Wireless (C&W) and Movistar.
According to Luis La Rocca, general manager of Digicel for Central America and Panama, the cost of cell phones have become an "entrance barrier" for those less favorable sectors of the Panama population, limiting their access to cellular service and the possible of raising their quality of life.
The banking transactions normally done from the bank desk or the computer, could soon be done with a mobile phone.
The software industry is developing applications to take advantage of the high level of mobile phone ownership in Latin America.
In Panama, Cable & Wireless is testing applications to provide mobile banking services to its customers, stated Roberto Mendoza, corporate director of the company.