"We are talking about public property which five years ago, when the Telecommunications Act was passed, had a low profile and was largely unregulated," noted an article in Elfinancierocrc.om.

"While new operators have contributed $170 million to enter the mobile market, there are other operators who have not given any financial benefit to the State for access to their frequencies, they have no coverage obligations, they did not go through the process for public tenders and are operating mobile services which are alternatives to ours, breaking the law and regulations ", said Victor Garcia, director of regulations at Claro.

Another problem seen by the business sector is the adaptation of licenses which is being analysed by the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel), such as the case of the company IBW who offers wireless internet with the brand name Japi.

Oscar Barahona, president of the Chamber of Information and Technology, said the problem with the adjustments (of licenses) is causing legal uncertainty in the country, as well as delays in the management of the radio spectrum, which the Comptroller General of the Republic ordered in a report last year.

Source: elfinancierocr.com

More on this topic

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.

Telcos Demand Free Competition in Projects

May 2013

Telecoms companies in Costa Rica demand the abolition of a decree which allows the government to award contracts without bidding in the National Telecommunications Fund.

According to the Chamber of Information and Technology this could cause market distortions and they warn that the decree could have implications and consequences of possible violations of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA).

Public Policies Not In Line With the Market

March 2013

Costa Rica is more than ready to enter the era of LTE, the technology that supports fourth generation cellular networks.

Elfinancierocr.com reports that "In a forum on spectrum management, organized by the Chamber of Costa Rican - North American Trade, the ICE was notably absent."

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."