The company Telefonica went from monopolizing 22.3% of the total mobile telephone subscriptions in the country in 2015, to concentrating 29.9% at the end of last year.
According to a report prepared by the Superintendence of Telecommunications (Sutel), which was released on November 17th, in the last few years Telefonica has gained ground in the mobile telephone market, and in the cases of Claro and the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE), they have decreased their share.
After recording a slowdown in the revenue of companies in the sector in 2018, it is expected that this year in Costa Rica will begin a cycle of better sales and increased investment because of an increase in consumption of services.
During the last year, the revenues of the 152 operators and providers of telecommunications services in the country totaled about $1.422 million, an amount that is similar to that of 2017, since it is only 0.3% higher.
Five years after buying it, the Costa Rican state-owned electric company Racsa decided to close Fullmovil, a virtual operator dedicated to the commercialization of prepaid telephony services.
In February 2014, the Superintendence of Telecommunications announced that Radiográfica Costarricense - already in serious financial difficulties - acquired Fullmóvil, a virtual operator involved in the sale of paid telephony services.
In 2017, the number of mobile telephone lines per 100 inhabitants was 179, 5% higher than the 170 reported in 2016.
Authorities reported that the historical behavior of the indicator shows that "...from 2006 to 2013, increases in penetration were observed year after year. However, in 2014, and for the first time since 2006, growth stopped, since in 2013 the penetration of mobile telephony per 100inhabitants was 151 and in 2014 it increased to 149."
In the tender for 70 MHz of frequencies for telephone and mobile telephone and Internet services in Costa Rica, Claro paid $19 million for three blocks of frequencies and Movistar $24 million for four blocks.
In the against the clock auction, in a single round, the Telecommunications Superintendence (Sutel) sold the 70 MHz that had been left idle since the first radio spectrum contest was held in 2011.
In the early years of the real market opening for cell lines, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad lost 518,000 customers to the hands of private companies.
Since number portability became effective on November 30, 2013, there have been 782,000 changeovers, according to figures from the Sutel requested by Nacion.com.That figure represents 10% of the 7.5 million mobile phone lines registered in December 2015.
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.
The Superintendency of Telecommunications in Costa Rica is inviting bids for 7 projects to provide telephony and internet services to 52 districts in the Central Pacific and Chorotega Region.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Telecommunications in Costa Rica:
SUTEL opens competition to bring telephony and internet services to the Central Pacific and Guanacaste.
If the Sutel's proposal is approved, on December Costa Rica will eliminate the tariff regulation for the international telephone, internet and postpaid cellular telephony markets.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel):
The Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel), has started a process of public consultation of the technical analysis of the telecommunications markets.
A tender has been launched in Costa Rica of the use and operation of 70 MHz of radio spectrum to be used to deploy international mobile technology.
Costa RicaGovernment Purchase 2016LI-000002-SUTEL:
"Through means of this public tender, concessionswill be granted, through an auction process, for up to seven (7) blocks of 5 MHz (2x5 MHz) with coverage throughout the territory of the Republic of Costa Rica, as described:
The communications giant has requested authorization to operate in the country in the market of data transfer services under the model of leased lines.
Elfinancierocr.com reports that "...The leased lines data market includes services known as dedicated lines, which are connectivity services normally provided to companies and institutions. "
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:
The Superintendency of Telecommunications has now been given approval to hold the contest of 70 MHz for mobile telephony, which had been on hold since 2011.
Four years after the last allocation of frequencies, the Ministry of Telecommunications has given authorization to proceed with a public auction, in which it is expected that Claro and Telefonica will take part but not the state run power company as it already has a larger number of frequencies than private operators.
A ruling by the Administrative Court found in favor of the state run telecoms company and obliges the regulator to update the relevant market data and level the playing field for all operators.
In the lawsuit, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) argued that the failure to update data on relevant markets and operators prevented the Superintendency of Telecommunications from providing equal treatment to all telecommunications companies operating in the country. Because of this, Crhoy.com reports, "... only the ICE can be fined or receive penalties for noncompliance."
The Superintendency of Telecommunications has announced a competition to provide voice and fixed internet services in 6 areas in the Huetar Atlantic Region, for a projected amount of $20 million.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Telecommunications:
A tender is being launched for projects to bring internet and fixed phone services to 18 vulnerable districts in the Atlantic Region.