Although the former deputy minister said that the frequencies would be tendered at the beginning of this year, his controversial departure from the Ministry and the arrival of his replacement will further delay the process. Mobile operators will have to wait at least two or three more months, because "... the new deputy minister, Emilio Arias, is waiting for two new studies to determine the status of the frequencies and the best way to make the offer attractive for operators".

"... The assignment process has been delayed since last year because the government was waiting for other studies that would allow them swell the supply by 40 Mhz. The problem was that portion belonged to a radio band that was already being used by other services. "

Elfinancierocr.com reports that "...The new Deputy Minister of Telecommunications is emphatic that they will not take any decision before receiving a situational status report from all departments of the deputy minister. 'I am clear on the prioritization of issues and this is a substantial element that is one of the points that has been of greatest concern to operators'.

Source: elfinancierocr.com

More on this topic

Guatemala: Auction of State Frequencies Under Question

May 2015

The Superintendency of Telecommunications has converted two frequencies reserved for the State into regulated frequencies that can be used only if use rights are acquired, which will be auctioned.

Through a resolution adopted by the Ministry of Communications,the Superintendency of Telecommunications (SIT) was given the responsibility of changing the attribution of frequencies reserved for the State into regulated frequencies, through the purchase of use rights, which is not something that is included in the Telecommunications Act. For some lawmakers this represents an illegal act because the law can only be changed with the approval of the Congress of Guatemala.

Radio Spectrum: 70 MHz Idle

November 2014

Although in Costa Rica the convenience of the de-monopolization of the communications has been demonstrated, there is still resistance on the part of the government to allowing more operators to enter the market.

The market entry of a fourth mobile phone operator and thickening of the offer with 40Mhz are the two factors that are being studied before a call is made for bids which had been scheduled for the first months of 2015.

Urgent Need to Assign Radio Spectrum in Costa Rica

September 2013

A recommendation has been given to accelerate the launch of new tenders for frequencies in order to develop next-generation services such as 4G LTE networks.

A study by the company Signals Telecom Consulting reveals that telephone companies must have more space in the spectrum in order to adjust their operations to accommodate smartphones and meet the demand for fast speeds for mobile internet browsing.

Costa Rica: Tender for Radio Frequencies

February 2013

The government is analyzing the market in order to decide whether to offer in a tender the 70 MHz in the bands of 2100 and 1800 MHz, which have not yet been awarded to any operator.

Elfinancierocr.com reports that "The government will have to make decisions on the spectrum, evaluating the possibility of launching a new competition to tender other spaces in the spectrum, by means of a study which will be ready in two months."