Costa Rica’s Superintendency of Telecommunications (Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, Sutel) has launched a 5G consultation as it seeks to establish which spectrum bands to include in its planned 5G spectrum auction. As per the document, the watchdog is considering distributing 90MHz of 700MHz spectrum, 100MHz in the 2300MHz band and 100MHz blocks at 3300MHz-3400MHz and 3400MHz-3500MHz. A block of 3600MHz-3625MHz spectrum and millimetre wave (mmWave) frequencies in the 26GHz and 28GHz bands could also come into play.
Sutel notes that state-backed telco/utility firm Grupo ICE, which operates via the Kolbi brand, currently holds the largest spectrum allowance in Costa Rica, with 309.4MHz across multiple bands, while its sister company Radiografica Costarricense (RACSA) holds a 100MHz block of 3.5GHz spectrum. Claro Costa Rica holds a total of 100MHz of spectrum, while Liberty Costa Rica has the rights to 100.6MHz worth of frequencies.
The consultation was published on 31 January 2023, and interested parties have ten business days within which to submit their feedback.
Source: https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2023/02/02/costa-rica-launches-5g-consultation/