One of the conditions for authorizing the acquisition is that America Movil must relinquish the right to operate 25 MHz of radio spectrum with national coverage in the 850 MHz band and 30 MHz of radio spectrum with national coverage in the 1900 MHz band, which currently belong to Telefonica.
According to the technical, legal and economic analysis carried out, it was warned that the acquisition would result in limitations to competition in the markets for mobile and fixed telephony and business connectivity services. Therefore, the Board of Directors of the Superintendence of Competition (CDSC) decided to impose a set of conditions to repair the damages, which include enforcement measures prior to the closing of the transaction (ex ante) and a series of subsequent obligations (ex post) in order to counteract such limitations, informed the Superintendence of Competition (SC).
Since rules came into effect on number portability, Costa Rica's state telephone company has lost 559 thousand lines, which have swelled the client lists of the two foreign competitors that operate in the mobile telephony market.
The possibility of keeping the same cell phone number and changing operator has existed since November 2013, and since then, Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) has lost almost 560 thousand lines, which passed into the hands of Telefónica, which operates the brand Movistar, and Claro, a brand of the Mexican company América Móvil.
The supervisor of telecommunications and major operators have agreed to implement number portability in November 2013.
After arguing that it was technically impossible to implement the necessary equipment until March 2014, "the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) agreed to accelerate the purchase of equipment in order to implement number portability, while Movistar and Claro operators relaxed deadlines for developing the system which had been agreed on months ago," noted an article in Elfinancierocr.com.
Since November 2010 installing a cell phone tower within 15 kilometers of a Costa Rican airport has required a detailed analysis and authorisation by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Prior to that date, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) had no trouble installing the towers, but now the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to adhere to international standards and make everyone endure the the red tape required for granting installation permits.
Telecom companies are blaming authorities, arguing these lack the required technical skills to implement it.
At a meeting between congressmen and delegates from telecommunications companies Telecom, Claro, Movistar and Digicel, the latter stated they agree with number portability, but argue that the Telecommunications Superintendence (Siget) lacks the required technical capacity to undertake this project.