Results of a recent study prompted SUTEL to propose letting market competition determine internet rates. The institution would regulate only the quality, not the cost, of telecom services.
Costa Rica’s Telecommunications Superintendency (SUTEL) hired a PR firm to help it sell a proposed change in mobile Internet rates in Costa Rica, from speed to amount of data downloaded.
ICE's appeal calls the SUTEL action illegal, inconsistent and flawed due to a “lack of proof and evidence to justify the sanction.” It also argues that ICE’s promotions did not cause any of its competitors to exit the market or block entry to new competitors.
ICE was ordered to pay a ₡2.2 billion ($4 million) fine for unfair competition through a discount program aimed at attracting prepaid mobile phone users.
Consulting firm Demoscopía conducted the study from August to October last year, evaluating users' perception of services offered by the five phone carriers for landlines, IP phones, mobile phones and mobile Internet.
A Civil and Administrative Tribunal ordered the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) to pay ₡500,000 ($945) to two of its customers for a lack of signal that prevented them from seeking help after a traffic accident three years ago. The plaintiffs say the amount awarded is far too little.
The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV, on Monday evening ordered the Telecommunications Superintendency (SUTEL) to conduct a new study on current mobile market conditions that is up-to-date and includes all of the country’s three carriers.
