The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) has officially confirmed that it will move forward full-steam with its nationwide fifth-generation (5G) network deployment. This green light follows a crucial resolution by the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR), which legally ratified the bidding and awards for the foundational infrastructure required to run the network.
The regulatory ruling specifically validated the lines concerning the Radio Access Network (RAN) and the 5G Mobile Core. Securing these core elements allows ICE to implement an advanced Open RAN Stand Alone (SA) architecture across the country.
According to telecommunications experts at ICE, this open ecosystem design offers significant advantages over proprietary infrastructure. It guarantees greater network flexibility, drives competitive interoperability among different global equipment hardware manufacturers, and significantly lowers long-term upgrade hurdles as network technologies evolve over time.
The CGR did annul specific segments of the award relating to supplemental connectivity elements. However, ICE swiftly cleared up market concerns by confirming that this partial rejection holds no adverse operational weight. The setback will not disrupt the initial deployment schedules or the upcoming corporate and consumer commercialization phases for the 5G network.
This 5G push forms a core pillar of a comprehensive strategy aimed at modernizing Costa Rica’s broader telecommunications landscape. By implementing next-generation wireless infrastructure, the country aims to significantly boost economic competitiveness, lower network latencies for enterprises, and accelerate digital transformation across its expanding tech and services sectors.
ICE reaffirmed that the remainder of the deployment project will continue in strict alignment with current legal frameworks, guaranteeing uninterrupted service and ensuring that all technological milestones slated for the coming months are achieved seamlessly.
Source: https://thecostaricanews.com/costa-ricas-ice-greenlit-for-5g-rollout-following-comptroller-ruling/
