WASHINGTON-The Telecommunications Industry Association praised Bush administration officials for securing trade commitments from Costa Rica to open wireless and tech sectors to competition in that country.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and his team concluded Central American Free Trade Agreement talks with Costa Rica over the weekend.
“Given the circumstances in Costa Rica and the reluctance we faced just several months ago to any telecommunications liberalization, we have come a long way,” said TIA President Matthew J. Flanigan. “Once the Costa Ricans begin reforming their telecommunications sector in the next year, we hope that the country will accelerate the process of opening up all telecommunications services to competition.”
Costa Rica, according to TIA, also agreed to remove trade barriers to Internet services and private data services-beginning Jan. 1, 2006-as part of a broader effort to reform the country’s state-owned telecom sector. The wireless market will be opened to competition in 2007.
TIA said Costa Rica also promised to establish rules to govern the telecom sector, including having an independent regulatory body with enforcement powers, ensuring access to and use of the existing public telecommunications network on a reasonable and nondiscriminatory basis, and instituting greater transparency within the sector.
Costa Rica also committed to allowing service providers the flexibility of selecting the technology of their choice in providing their services, a requirement TIA said was critical. TIA has been critical of the South Korean government for intervening in wireless standards that the trade association claims hurt U.S. companies.
