SUTEL Says No No To Telephone Rate
Increase
The Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SUTEL)
yesterday stopped the
self proclaimed telephone rate increase the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad
(ICE) had given itself and had planned on being effect as of today.
ICE taking advantage of the lack of regulations and the void while
the recently appointed SUTEL finds its way around the new Ley
General de Telecommunicaciones, announced last week that it was
giving itself a rate increase and that was that.
The new law, while breaking the 80 year monopoly on
telecommunications by ICE and allowing competitors to enter the
market, created a temporary void in the regulations as the SUTEL was
being created and its board members appointed, before telcom
regulations are enacted.
From the offices of the Autoridad Reguladora
de Servicios Publicos (Aresep), the home of the SUTEL, it was
announced that ICE could not go ahead with its plan for a rate
increase and the publication in La Gaceta would not occur today
(Friday) has been scheduled.
Across the Sabana park, at the ICE head offices, the president of
the institution, Pedro Pablo Quirós, held a press conference to show
his anger at the SUTEL decision and affirmed that ICE will appeal.
In defending his position, Quirós said that the SUTEL decision
weakens the institution as it requires the rate increase to meets
its financial goals and prepare for the coming of the competition.
Although there is no longer a monopoly on telecommunications in the
country, ICE continues to be the sole operators of cellular and fixe
line telephone services.
Competitors wanting to enter the market are waiting for the SUTEL to
announce the complete regulations for the industry, which ICE, in
protecting its position, is expected to appeal and thus increase the
time for competitors to set up shop in the country. |
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