When portability was allowed in Panama, some expected an stampede of users unhappy with their providers, but the dynamics have been very different.  The one thing Costa Rica has to look out for is that customers will vote with their feet if their service is poor.

This same feeling is held by the telecommunications companies in Costa Rica, who could take the situation in Panama as an example, where changes represent only 1.92% of the number of cell phone customers in the country, estimated at 6, 7 million up to the end of 2012.

According to the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP), the majority of users making use of number portability are looking for better deals, service and more personalized attention.

Once portability is started in Costa Rica, phone companies will have to focus on continuously improving the quality of their services, in order to keep their customers and attract many others.

Source: Prensa.com

More on this topic from Central America Data

Democracy vs. Public Corporations

April 2013

The Costa Rica state telecom company is moving away from the purpose that justifies its existence and is impeding the exercise of the popular will in terms of the cellular market opening up.

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), after using every piece of legal chicanery imaginable to prevent the implementation of number portability, is now simply saying “I WONT SIGN”, citing technical insolvency as its reason for not integrating the system that allows users to migrate from one cellular communication provider to another, while keeping their phone number.