Costa Rica’s took a first step at opening the market for Internet services by allowing the company Amnet to have direct access to the submarine cable “Maya 1.”  Maya 1 one of Costa Rica’s main international connections.  Amnet is the first company that Sutel (or the government body that regulates telecommunications in the country) has allowed to have such access.  Amnet has actually been operating in the country for some time, but it formerly had to offer its services in connection with an agreement with Racsa, which is the government run arm that up until now has enjoyed sole access to Maya 1.  Customers of Amnet were thus treated with two bills each month, one from Amnet and another from Racsa.  Raúl Ibáñex, Amnet director, stated that the authorization to connect to Maya 1 marks a new era in Internet access in Costa Rica.  In addition, Sutel authorized seven cable companies in various areas of the country to begin offering television access in competition with Amnet.  However, so far Amnet only has access to Maya 1.

Link to Article in La Nación