In the last couple of weeks one of our accounts has been having a hard time logging into their server. So after they rebooted the router a few times and then cleaned the ends of the cables the problem still existed. For a while it was driving me a bit crazy why this was happening until suddenly that light bulb clicked on; I remembered the article I wrote back in April, 2010, Net Neutrality For Costa Rica – Throttling Bandwidth Usages and Charging For It.
A Free Trade Agreement signed with the US and Canada (a few years back) ensured that private companies are able to operate in the telecoms sector. State-owned ISP, Radiográfica Costarricense (RACSA) has already formed alliances with the main cable operators to allow them to provide broadband services and ICE has been working feverishly to upgrade their system. Since then, the competition has been going hog wild running fiber optic just about everywhere, which leads one to ask two big questions: Read more... (1076 words, 2 images, estimated 4:18 mins reading time)
- Are some of Costa Rica Internet Service Providers (ISP) starting to throttle bandwidth to save money?
- And could this be the first sign that these companies may start charging their customers for excessive and/or limit bandwidth as we wrote about back in April, 2010?
The world’s most advance technology will have it 20th Birthday on Aug, 8th; thats when the “World Wide Web (www)” first gained a public face in 1991.
CERN, which straddles the border between France and Switzerland, publicized the new World Wide Web project, two years after, British scientist Tim Berners-Lee had begun creating HTML, HTTP and the first few Web pages at CERN.
The World Wide Web in its short span has grown into a multi-trillion dollar business – making it the fastest growing business in the history of mankind. In 1998, less than .1% of the population of Costa Rica (including the World) had no clue to what the Internet was.
With the Costa Rica’s Free Trade Agreement and ICE’s suddenly lost of its IP monopoly (caused by competition), and its recent monopoly on Apple iPhones Costa Rica is demanding technology, particularly internet service at an alarming rate.
According to a poll we have been conducting, seventy-eight percent of Costa Ricans are influence by technology. As one person commented on one of our Blog posts: Read more... (832 words, 3 images, estimated 3:20 mins reading time)
The ICE Monopoly may have its problems providing a good customer service.
Beginning this week the new Apple, iPhone G4 will start selling in Costa Rica. Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) the state’s telephone, and Internet monopoly, officially became the NEW monopoly distributor and exclusive seller for Apple’s new iPhone G4s. Retailers who have iPhones for sale in Costa Rica, unless it is an ICE authorized agent, are not authorized by Apple to sell them!
Was this a surprise, not really?
Back in Feb, 2011 we wrote how ICE has been under threat since the signing (Jan.2009) of Central American Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) when they suddenly found themselves in a competitive world of the telecom market; something they knew little about and not prepared for like the demand for high-tech phones and service.
So it wasn’t a surprise (when we also speculated in Feb) that Apple had Costa Rica in their business plan and they are preparing to open up a few more Apple Mac service Centers.
Obviously, ICE saw a big opportunely to cash in on Apple’s demanding iPhones and obviously made a sweet-heart deal. Read more... (531 words, 1 image, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)
INS tells their Insurance brokers there would be “consequences” if they sold any other company’s products.
Every Costa Rican knows [since they can remember] the government monopoly of, oil/gas, electric, internet, and insurance has been one big headache after another. In Oct, 2007 when Costa Rica’s Free Trade Agreements (FTA) were signed, it looked like for the first time Costa Rican’s were going to get a break, when foreign companies could compete with government companies, especially for insurance. Ticos, for the first time would be able to pick a company based on service, care, quality, and cost.
Over a year later it looked like FTA was not working, then Canada’s American Life Insurance Company (ALICO) and a few others had received approval to sell in Costa Rica.
But has it happened? Well not quite as expected.
One of the first signs it was under undergoing, “Rules of Engagement” was with the new requirements for foreign residents (expats or permanent residents), who had to show proof of medical insurance to the government Caja, Costarricense de Seguro Social, which forced Expats scrambling for coverage from Instituto Nacional de Seguros, (INS), and/or Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, (CCSS), which is government’s socialized medicine. Very few got coverage from foreign companies. Read more... (633 words, 1 image, estimated 2:32 mins reading time)
Costa Rica and Canada try and continue to better their relationships, with free trade and visas
It’s no secret that North Americans are the dominating foreigners that live in Costa Rica. And because of that, Costa Rica also would like to increase Canadian tourism. It is estimated that some 100,000 Canadians come to Costa Rica each year and about 10,000 Canadians live there, compared to 10 times that amount of Americans.
And because of the Canadians tourism and expats, both governments want to increase revenue from it. However, there is this, Do this for me first and, I will think about doing this for you second, mentality will probably stone wall any reasonable agreement between the two countries if they don’t wake up to reason.
Last week, Michaëlle Jean, the Canadian governor general, met with President Óscar Arias Sánchez to help develop a better relationship. However, Jean is only a representative of Queen Elizabeth II in Canada, at most, a ceremonial post, but does have a tad of influence. How much? Humm … interesting question.
There are a lot of major hurdles to accomplish a better relationship, we will write about three that we consider have to be overcome if either government wants to develop a better relationship and make some more bucks while doing it. Read more... (469 words, 1 image, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)
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