ICE and Claro Agree to Share Networks, Finally
First reported September 15, 2011 · Updated October 28, 2026
September 15, 2011 | San José, Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s state electricity and telecommunications institute ICE and mobile operator Claro have reached an agreement to interconnect their telephone networks, clearing a major technical step toward competition in the country’s cellular market. The September 2011 breakthrough followed days of disagreement over the terms of connecting the two companies’ systems.
Interconnection is a basic requirement for a competitive phone market. It allows customers of one company to call customers of another, while giving operators a framework for exchanging traffic and coordinating technical procedures. Without it, a newly licensed network cannot offer the seamless communications users expect.
A difficult negotiation
A report in La Nación on September 8 described ICE and Claro as unable to finalize a bilateral agreement. ICE telecommunications executive Claudio Bermúdez said the matter could have to be resolved by the Superintendency of Telecommunications, known as Sutel. Claro’s country director, Ricardo Taylor, indicated that the company was ready to move forward.
The September 15 agreement was reported as a new step in those negotiations. Representatives of both companies were identified in contemporaneous coverage, although the regulator still had to review the contract before its terms could be fully implemented.
ICE had long occupied the central position in Costa Rica’s telecommunications infrastructure. New operators could construct their own networks, but interconnection with the incumbent remained essential if customers were to reach phones on other systems.
Opening the Costa Rican mobile market
Costa Rica was transitioning from a market dominated by ICE to one with additional competitors. Claro, associated with Mexican telecommunications group América Móvil, and Telefónica’s Movistar brand were preparing to serve customers under the new regulatory framework.
The wider liberalization was connected to reforms that followed the country’s approval of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement. New market entry required regulatory work beyond issuing licenses. Technical standards, numbering, network access and service conditions all had to be addressed.
The dispute between ICE and Claro showed how complicated the change could be. A signed interconnection agreement mattered to businesses and residents because competition is meaningful only when subscribers can communicate across carriers.
What happened next
On October 20, 2011, La Nación reported that Sutel had rejected objections to the ICE-Claro interconnection contract, giving the parties regulatory clearance to connect their networks. The ruling followed challenges from other interested parties and allowed Claro to proceed toward service launch.
The approval did not mean the telecommunications sector would operate without future disputes. A later Sutel proceeding in 2012 addressed additional disagreements over international traffic and access arrangements, illustrating that network interconnection is an ongoing regulatory issue.
Questions and answers
What did ICE and Claro agree to do? Establish interconnection between their networks so calls could pass between subscribers.
Did the September agreement automatically finish the process? No. Sutel’s approval and technical work were still required.
When did Sutel clear the agreement? Coverage dated October 20, 2011, reported the regulator’s decision to reject objections.