Between 2013 and 2015 data traffic grew by 200%, and the state-owned ICE continued to lose its share in the mobile phone market, going from 62% in 2014 to 58% in 2015.
From the report "Statistics in the telecommunications sector 2015 ," by the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel):
At the close of 2015, "... a total of 139 operators and suppliers authorized by the Sutel were recorded.
After a reduction in 2015, mobile phone penetration grew again in 2016, registering a total of 156 lines per 100 inhabitants.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications:
Costa Rica has experienced a trend of increasing penetration of mobile telephony in the last decade. According to figures from the Vice Ministry of Telecommunications, in 2006, 33 cell phone lines were registered per 100 inhabitants, however by 2015 there were a total of 156 recorded lines per 100 inhabitants.
After a five years wait, the Telecommunications Authority has received an order to award unused radio spectrum frequencies.
From a publication in the official newspaper La Gaceta on Tuesday February 9, 2016:
Executive Decree No. 354-2015-Tel-Micitt, the Second Vice President of the Republic in exercise of the Presidency of the Republic and the Minister of Science, Technology and Telecommunications, agree:
Digicel, Telefonica Moviles El Salvador, CTE, CTE Telecom Personal and Telemóvil El Salvador filed appeals against the $2.2 million fine imposed on them for abuse of their dominant positions.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Competition:
The five telephone operators punished for abusing their dominant position submitted an appeal to the Board of Directors of the Superintendency of Competition on 4 November.
Digicel, Telefonica Moviles El Salvador, CTE, CTE Telecom Personal and Telemóvil El Salvador were fined $2.2 million for abusing their dominant position to impede the entry of new competitors.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Telecommunications:
SC sanctions telecoms companies for abusing dominant position:
The Board of Directors of the Superintendency of Competition resolved to sanction five telephony operators proven to have each committed abuse of their dominant position typified in Article 30, letter a) of the Competition Act. The investigation, which was based on a complaint filed on October 24, 2013 by Platinum Enterprises, SA de CV, concluded that each of the defendants abused their dominant position by hindering the entry of new competitors or expansion of existing ones in the market for intermediate services for incoming international traffic for call termination on their own networks.
According to confidential documents made public by a legislator, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad has lost hundreds of thousands of customers in recent months.
An article on Crhoy.com reports that "... The telecommunications sector of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) has lost about 200 thousand customers in May t to June his year. This is stated in a series of documents published by Deputy Jorge Arguedas, corresponding to the entity's financial status and customers. "
Six years after the market opened, authorities are assessing whether competition is effective in order to eliminate caps and free up rates for mobile telephony and the internet.
The methodology for determining whether or not there is effective or genuine competition in the telecommunications market has already been approved and the Telecommunications Regulator expects to have the results no later than the end of the year.
In Costa Rica contracts have been awarded to the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad and Claro to provide telephony and broadband Internet services in six cantons in the south of the country.
The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) will be responsible for developing projects in Buenos Aires, Osa, Corredores, Coto Brus and Golfito. Meanwhile Claro de Costa Rica is in charge of projects in the area of Perez Zeledon.
In Congress doubts are being voiced over the effectiveness of the application of a tax of $0.65 per phone line and $13 for call centers.
Among the nine challenges presented by deputies to the proposal to place a tax on phones, the lack of definition of the use of funds and details about who should pay the tax stand out the most, in particular whether it should be the user or the business who pays.
Caps imposed by the Superintendency on tariffs for telecommunications services restrict competition by preventing operators from offering more expensive packages to more affluent segments.
The telecommunications industry is requesting the freeing up of rates with the aim of letting the market itself be responsible for setting them, with oversight by the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel).
The information presented by the Telecommunications Authority does not allow consumers to compare the quality offered by different operators.
Data published by the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel) through a virtual map on its website does not specify in detail the quality of the calls, and the coverage of operators in specific parts of the country.
The company Imcard-Mediafone has been selected to implement and operate the system for number portability in the country, after submitting a bit in the tender for $1.7 million.
From a statement issued by the General Superintendence for Electricity and Telecommunications (SIGET):
The General Superintendency for Electricity and Telecommunications (SIGET) and the Technical Advisory Committee for Number Portability in El Salvador, are pleased to inform the public in general:
Even though demand continues to grow, operators are not able to grow due to lack of effective competition in the mobile market and delays in the allocation of spectrum.
A portion of customers in the cellular market and other telecommunications services such as internet and cable television are still dissatisfied, but telecommunications companies are not able to increase their services due to the slow rate at which the rules are set and at which infrastructure problems are addressed.
Only El Corte Inglés and the consortium Imcard-Mediafone submitted bids for $2.3 million and $1.7 million, respectively, in the competition for awarding number portability in the country.
Although initially more companies had shown interest in the tender, the General Superintendence of Electricity and Telecommunications received only the two aforementioned offers.
The application of tax of $0.65 per mobile phone line that had been proposed by the Executive to fund part of the 2015 budget has been temporarily suspended.
The Constitutional Court temporarily suspended the collection of the tax on telephone lines after the Chamber of Industry and the three phone companies operating in the country submitted an appeal against the tax.