The Council of the SUTEL has declared to be under effective competition the following markets: International Telephony, Fixed Internet, International Roaming and Telecommunications Transit.
The Superintendency of Telecommunications postponed until the first quarter of 2017 the decision on a possible declaration of effective competition in mobile postpaid services.
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.
At the close of July 2014 7 operators were registered as concessionaires to exploit the radio spectrum and 122 authorized operators and service providers to provide services.
This market growth is reflected in a report by the Telecommunications Authority, confirming the dynamism that has been seen in the sector in recent years.
The revenue generated by the sector during 2014, reached the sum of $1,348 million, which is 34% more than the previous year and reached 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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.
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.
The Superintendency of Telecommunications in Costa Rica has approved an increase of 26% for rates for fixed telephone lines and a reduction in the rate for calls between a landline and a cell phone.
From a press release from the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel):
The Board of the Superintendency of Telecommunications (SUTEL) has approved an increase in the rate per minute for communication between two fixed phone lines and approved a reduction in the rate for calls between a landline and a cell phone.
The National Telecommunications Fund plans to develop seven projects in the areas of education, social welfare, health and homes, which will feature, for the first time, internet and telephone services.
According to the Telecommunications Superintendency (Sutel), there are a total of 477 schools, 78 colleges, 155 Ebais (health centres), 25 Cecis and 70 CEN- CINAI which will be connected with a speed of 4 megabytes.
The project to use wireless technology to bring Internet communications to isolated rural communities has not attracted any companies.
No companies showed interest in the project to provide telephone and internet services to six Costa Rican Caribbean communities.
Nacion.com reports that "the Telecommunications Superintendency (Sutel) said that it did not receive any bids to develop the project of the National Telecommunications Fund (Fonatel) in six communities in Siquirres and Pacuarito.
An announcement has been made in Costa Rica for a tender for a project to give rural communities mobile and fixed telephone coverage, with funding from the National Telecommunications Fund.
The National Telecommunications Fund (Fonatel) is endowed with payments for operating licenses awarded to telecom operators such as Claro and Movistar, and currently has $190 million to be used to promote access to quality, timely, efficient, affordable and competitive telecommunications services, for the inhabitants of areas of the country where the cost of investment for the installation and maintenance of infrastructure for the provision of these services is not financially profitable.