Telecommunications in Costa Rica

Communications Service Provider Type: Government Monopoly (I.C.E.)

Telephones - main lines in use: 1 389 359 (August 2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 934 764 (August 2005)

Telephone system: Domestic telephone service
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available
international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)

Radios: 980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 525,000 (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)

Country code: CR

Broadband Internet access

Costa Rica’s telecommunication sector was monopolized by two government companies (Grupo ICE and Racsa), but consumer ADSL services are currently being offered by Grupo ICE only.

Cable Modem services are offered by two companies countrywide - Cable Tica and Amnet. Several other companies offer local cable modem services.

Six new ISP (inc the right to provide VoIP) licences were awarded by regulator Sutel in June 2009.