Costa Rica’s 5G tender attracts 5 bidders

Costa Rican telecoms regulator Sutel has received five bids for its 5G spectrum tender. 

Mobile operators Liberty and Claro were the first to submit offers on November 6, while three other companies submitted their bids on Monday, local press reported.

Details of the offers have not been disclosed and the regulator had not responded to a BNamericas' request for information at the time of publication.

State-owned operator Grupo ICE is not authorized to participate in the tender as it has previously been awarded frequencies with which it can offer 5G services.

Through its subsidiary Racsa, ICE has 100MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band,  where 5G development is underway.

The tender process was recently delayed by a technical objection from ICE.

Sutel will award spectrum in the 700MHz, 2,300MHz, 3,500MHz, 26GHz and 28GHz bands.

The operators bidding for regional frequencies that only cover specific parts of the country are: communications firm Ring Centrales de Costa Rica and rural electrification cooperatives Alfaro Ruiz (Cooperalfaroruiz) and Los Santos (Coopesantos).

On December 11, Sutel will provide information about price and infrastructure requirements to the companies that have been prequalified. These will then have to confirm their interest in continuing in the process.

The auction is scheduled for January 24 and on February 28 the results will be presented by Sutel to ICT ministry Micitt.