 |
|
INSIDECOSTARICA.COM
| COSTA RICA
NEWS |
Thursday 14 April 2011 |
 |
|
|
|
Costa
Rica:
Study
Reveals
3G Has
Better
Coverage,
But GSM
Better
Call
Quality
It is no
surprise
to
cellular
users in
Costa
Rica
that the
3G
cellular
network
operated
by the
Instituto
Costarricense
de
Electricidad
(ICE),
although
having a
better
coverage
than the
2G (or
GSM), it
is only
with the
latter
that
calls
can be
completed
without
problems
and with
quality
of
communications.
That's
one of
the main
findings
of a
comprehensive
technical
study by
the
Superintendencia
General
de
Telecomunicaciones
(Sutel)
and made
public
yesterday.
The
study of
is the
first of
its kind
and will
serve as
a
starting
point
for
measuring
the
quality
of
services
offered
by ICE,
said
Maryleana
Méndez,
president
of Sutel.
Sutel
analyzed
the ICE
networks
between
25
January
and 18
February,
in 7
provincial
capitals
and in
23
villages
of
importance,
which
together
adds up
to 80%
of the
population.
The
study
also
included
35 major
roads
like the
Interamericana,
the
Circunvalación
de San
José,
the
Costanera
and the
routes
to
Caldera
and
Limón.
The
Sutel
analysis
is of
the ICE
quality
of
coverage,
which
should
allow
calls to
be made
and
received
inside
of
homes,
offices
and
vehicles
without
connection
problems
and/or
interfernece.
The
study
was done
by a
specialized
team
which
performed
tens of
thousands
of tests
for
connection
at the
points
evaluated.
According
to the
study,
the
quality
of the
3G
network
coverage
throughout
the
country
is
considerable
and
there
are only
problems
in some
specific
areas
such as
Tres
Rios
(Cartago),
Upala
(Alajuela)
and San
Vito
(Puntarenas).
Something
very
different
happens
with the
2G
network,
which
although
extends
across
the
country
only
meets
the
standards
required
by the
Sutel in
one
place:
Cartago.
However,
coverage
does not
mean
successful
calling,
the
Sutel
study
found.
From
their
measurements,
it is
more
difficult
to
complete
calls
with the
3G
network
than
with the
2G
network.
With the
2G
network,
calls
passed
the test
successfully
in
nearly
all the
sites
studied,
although
there
were
severe
shortcomings
in Rio
Claro,
Golfito.
However,
the 3G
had
problems
in San
Rafael
de
Guatuso
(Alajuela),
Santa
Cruz
(Guanacaste),
Ciudad
Neily
(Puntarenas),
San Vito
and Rio
Claro.
In terms
of
interference,
the 2G
had
problems
throughout
the
country
and only
in
Tilarán,
Rio
Claro,
Puerto
Jimenez,
Tres
Rios and
Caldera
did
quality
get a
100%
rating.
In
contract,
with the
3G there
was not
one
place
where
the
service
obtained
a 100%
rating.
Moreover,
between
the
villages
assessed,
only 15
were
above
50%
compliance.
Sites
with
lower
levels
of
compliance
were
Upala,
Siquirres
and
Grecia.
The
evaluation
in the
delay
for
connecting
(which
should
not
exceed
five
seconds)
also
shows
the
differences
between
2G and
3G
networks.
With the
2G, in
24
villages
calls
were
completed
with a
100%
response
time,
but 3G
in only
20.
Sites
with low
compliance
in this
connections
were,
with the
2G, Paso
Canoas,
Ciudad
Neily
and
Buenos
Aires
and with
the3G,
Palmares,
Turrialba
and San
José. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Join
our Facebook page
