COSTA RICA NEWS – After reading comments received, the Defensora de los Habitantes (Ombudswoman), Ofelia Taitelbaum, says she concluded that the change to per download cost for cellular internet of postpaid customers is not suitable for the country or society and only benefits the operators.
Taitelbaum said she is concerned that there is no clear signal to the tariff mode and does nothing to benefit users, contrary to the claim by operators that it will allow them to provide better service.
For the Defensora, the claim by the president of the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SUTEL), Maryleana Méndez, that the change will give operators more money to invest and better quality for customers, is concerning.
Taitelbaum said she will be meeting today (Tuesday) with experts to prepare arguments to oppose the change. For the Defensora, the change is against the principles of universality and solidarity of telecommunications services, refereed to in the Ley General de Telecomunicaciones (General Telecommunications Law).
In addition, Taitelbaum rhetorically asks “what packages and speeds do operators intend to offer?”.
Taitelbaum said that the Defensoria has received more than 1.300 complaints since the news broke last week and said comments will be used as the basis for opposition to be presented at the public hearing scheduled by the SUTEL on July 1.
