3G data capping should only be temporary solution: SUTEL

May 7^th, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) Telecoms regulator SUTEL is telling the country’s wireless operators – including ICE’s Kolbi – that the recently implemented “data capping” designed to decrease network congestion should only be a temporary solution.

The restriction, which was put in place in the first week of April in the case of ICE, restricts postpaid 3G customers to 5GB of total download per calendar month.  Those who exceed the limit have their bandwidth speed reduced to an almost unusable 128kbps (about 1/10^th of 1MB), regardless of their contracted speed.

The restriction has especially affected those who live in remote or rural areas of the country who rely on 3G service as their primary and only Internet connection, due to the lack of cable or DSL availability.  Watching just 6 or 7 feature-length movies on Netflix, for example, could consume a user’s entire limit for a month.

Now, SUTEL is telling operators that the measure should only be used temporarily, and that operators should improve their infrastructure to avoid congestion on their networks.

In addition, SUTEL is recommending that operators move to a pay-for-data model, rather than the current postpaid system in which service is contracted by the speed of the connection.  This is now the case with most of the prepaid service provided in the country.

“It is imperative to note that the operators must consider long-term solutions, such as developing greater capacity of their networks,” SUTEL said.