With more than 90% of its electricity generated from renewable energy sources and goals to reach 95% by 2014, Costa Rica is certainly one of the greenest countries on the planet. It also is on track to become the world’s first carbon-free economy. I recently returned from a 12-day tour sponsored by Global Renewable Energy Education Network (GREEN) and showcasing renewable and sustainable … [Read more...]
Increase of Phone Solicitations in Costa Rica
02/10/2012 by Leave a Comment
At the end of January two major events took place in Costa Rica. 1) The iPhone craze finally took place when three primary cell phone operators (ICE Kölbi, Móvistar and Claro) started selling the iPhone 4S with numerous plans. At some of the major shopping centers customers bounced like pin balls comparing prices and plans - all three companies say sales have been [very] good in the last … [Read more...]
Solar Energy in Costa Rica – Saving Money and the Planet
11/11/2011 by 1 Comment
Up until quite recently in Costa Rica, the proposition of saving both money and the Earth with photovoltaic solar systems has stood on some pretty shaky ground. But that is changing. Nowadays, more and more Costa Ricans and expats are installing stand-alone or autonomous photovoltaic systems in the country's remotest regions and have made it possible for people to live well where ordinarily they … [Read more...]
Are Costa Rica’s Internet Service Providers Going to Be Charging Extra for Excessive Bandwidth?
08/23/2011 by 4 Comments
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 … [Read more...]
Apple – ICE – iPhones – Costa Rica’s Newest Monopoly?
05/22/2011 by 3 Comments
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 … [Read more...]
Demand for High Tech Phones and Service in Costa Rica – ICE
02/28/2011 by 1 Comment
Last week (Feb 21th) something unspeakable in this day of age happened, around 800,000 Costa Rican's cell phone users suddenly found themselves without service. And at the same time we received a landslide of emails wondering, if this could be the beginning of the end for Instituto Costaricense de Electricidad (ICE)? An interesting question. ICE has been under threat since the signing … [Read more...]
Cell Phone Service In Costa Rica – PrePaid SIM, Types of Phones
02/04/2011 by 53 Comments
A couple of years ago we wrote about cell phones in Costa Rica and since that time, things have changed. About 2-4 times a week we get questions on whether or not someone personal phone will work in Costa Rica. So this is all about common questions and answers on Costa Rica cells phones. I HAVE A BLAB BLAB PHONE, CAN I USE IT IN COSTA RICA? One of the first things you have to remember, … [Read more...]
Net Neutrality For Costa Rica – Throttling Bandwidth Usages and Charging For It.
04/09/2010 by 1 Comment
If you've ever wondered why it takes so long to download or load certain Webpages or other files to your computers - it's all determined by the bandwidth of the connection between your computer and your and/or others Internet Service Providers (IPS). Bandwidth is a rate of data transfer that is measured in bits per second (bps). Your ISP makes its money by renting little "chunks" of that … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Internet Fraud On the Rise – Haiti Earthquake Scams
01/18/2010 by 2 Comments
I got an panic email last Saturday about a small Costa Rica online store whose owner got scammed when she went to buy a product and was taken to a phishing website. She elected to pay by e-check, her second biggest mistake. Within seconds her account was cleaned out of several hundred dollars. She asked me what we could do to get her money back? I was sorry to say, "Nothing." Adding, all she … [Read more...]
A New Internet and Phone Service Providers?
08/22/2009 by 1 Comment
Back in June, 2009 the government did something somewhat unbecoming, they gave approval, or should I say, offered the rights to six companies to provide Internet and voice-over-Internet telephone services. Until then, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) a government run monopoly controlled just about every form of communications in Costa Rica, among other things like electricity. … [Read more...]
Costa Rica Biofuels – ICE vs RECOPE
07/27/2009 by 1 Comment
Last month an interesting ecology deal was proposed. New Generation Biofuels Holdings, Inc., signed a letter of intent with the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE or Costa Rica dominant monopoly on utilities, like electrical, internet, and phone service) to start testing biofuels for power generation in the Central American country. It seems logical, Costa Rica known for being a … [Read more...]
Cocaine Cargo From Costa Rica Prompts Wiretapping
06/29/2009 by Leave a Comment
A few weeks ago we posted about Costa Rica slowly but surly becoming the new hub for drug trafficking. Mexican authorities in the port of Mexico's Puerto Progreso last week found frozen sharks stuffed with 894 kilograms of cocaine. The sharks were unloaded from a ship whose voyage originated at the Costa Rican port of Caldera. This is just one of several recent cocaine busts in the last few weeks … [Read more...]
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