Costa Rica's telecoms regulator has published the bidding rules to participate in the tender process for three licences in the 850 MHz, 1,800 MHz, and 2,100 MHz bands.
The selection process will follow a hybrid approach, taking into account both qualitative and quantitative criteria—technical offers will be considered first, after which prequalified companies will proceed to a second round and then the licences will be awarded to the highest bids.
The regulator has established a two-week period to present objections against the published bidding conditions. If none are submitted, the operator could award the licences by September 2011.
After a number of delays, Costa Rica's telecoms watchdog SUTEL published yesterday the bidding rules for the spectrum tender for three licences in the 850 MHz, 1,800 MHz, and 2,100 MHz bands, la Nación reports. The selection process will follow a hybrid approach, taking into account both qualitative and quantitative criteria—technical offers will be considered first, after which prequalified companies will proceed to a second round and then the licences will be awarded to the highest economic bids. Offers will have to be submitted by 5 November and the titles could be awarded by September 2011.
The regulator has established a minimum price of US$70 million for each licence, with all the proceeds going to the universal services fund FONATEL. All bidders will have to certify that they have at least five years' experience in the industry with a minimum of 1.8 million mobile subscribers in the countries where they operate. Interested parties will also have to certify they have deployed greenfield operations and have some US$450 million in annual income from mobile services. Interested parties have been given two weeks to submit comments regarding these rules. If no objections are submitted, the operator could award the licences by September 2011.
So far, five telecom operators have shown interests in the process: Digicel, Cable & Wireless, Millicom (Tigo), Claro (América Móvil), and Telefónica.
