December 2nd, 2009
“Mobile telephone firms will bid for their spectrum share”
The new Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones plans a bidding process to allocate the radio spectrum, mainly the part dedicated to mobil transmissions. The agency said it had received $639,300 from the government of Japan to develop a study of the process and the method that will be used.
Telecommunications Management Group, Inc., a U.S. firm, has been picked to assist and advise the regulator for awarding mobile telephone services concessions, the firm said in a separate announcement.
The project is being funded by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank, as well as by the donation from Japan, to support the modernization process of the telecommunications sector in Costa Rica, the company said.
In particular, this project will advise the Superintendencia on the preparation, discussion, and revision of legal and financial aspects needed for the development of the most appropriate public tender model for the awarding of the mobile services concessions, as well as develop and prepare all the documents needed to carry out the public tender process, it said.
The management firm is associated with BLP Abogados in Costa Rica. The company said that the law firm specializes in administrative, contractual, and telecommunications law and has extensive experience in issues related to concessions and tender processes in Costa Rica.
The new telecom law opens up the market in Costa Rica, and many companies seek to offer wireless service. Much of the spectrum already is occupied, and the Superintendencia will be trying to locate bands that new arrivals can use. It already has asked every spectrum user to report on what is being used now. Under the concession process, companies will have to pay for the right to sue the spectrum, and they will bid to obtain the rights.
