New GSM Cellular Lines Will Go Fast, ICE Chief Says
Yesterday we reported that the new GSM network will go on sale on December 5, as the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) will make available the first 250.000 of the 600.000 lines. However, ICE officials say that you better hurry and get your application for a line in as soon as possible, because come December there may be only 20.000 lines available after the demand is met.

ICE says that there are more than 125.000 customers already waiting a cellular line, but that number will almost double within the coming week now that the announcement of a firm offering date was made.

Customer who want a cellular line will also have various options in addition to visiting an ICE office. ICE says that more than 800 authorized agents around the country will be available to sell the new GSM lines in all parts of the country, including supermarkets.

The move will mean fewer lines, that is if the ICE main computer can handle the load. In the past, authorized agents had difficulties accessing the system and customers were asked to come back the following day as the central computer caught up with the demand.

Retailers like the Importadora Monge, Gallo Más Gallo and Casa Blanca and cellular stores that are authorized agents are all ready to set you up with a line provided you buy the telephone equipment from them.

Orlando Cascante, head of mobile services at ICE, says that the lines will go quickly due to the pent up demand and delays in introducing the network. Initially the network was to have been fully (all 600.000 lines) available last October, but delays in the construction of radio towers and the delivery of the SIM chips (special cards that are placed in the GSM phone to connect to the network) delayed the introduction.

Cascante says that by the second week in December the initial 250.000 lines will be all gone. In January another 100.000 lines are expected to be made available and the rest (250.000) by February.

The new GSM network will have Multimedia capabilities, meaning not only text messages can be sent over the network, but also videos and music files, like downloading the latest Shakira video, at an additional cost of course.

To obtain a cellular line in Costa Rica, you will need the following:

1. A Costa Rican "Cedula" (residency cedulas  or passports are not accepted)

2. The telephone unit with the "original" receipt of purchase

3. ¢12.500 for the deposit

4. A copy of a utility bill

And,  lots and lots of patience.