ICE presents offer to provide telecommunications services in indigenous territories South Zone

By ICE

This press release was published using a machine translation system.

On Friday, October 5, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) submitted to the trust the Telecommunications Superintendency and the National Bank of Costa Rica (SUTEL-BNCR), the tender offer No. 002-2018 to bring broadband internet and telephony services to nine indigenous territories of the Southern Zone.

The poster published - in January of this year - represents a challenge for ICE, since the project aims to serve remote villages that are difficult to access.

Jaime Palermo, corporate director of Telecommunications of the ICE, said that "since the conception of the institution, we have always arrived where others do not dare.We will continue to be part of the development of this country and we are ready to take our services where Costa Ricans require them."

This project is part of FONATEL's # 1 program, called Conected Communities, in which ICE has won 18 contests in different areas of the country, with the telecommunications operator being the most awarded by the regulator.

The indigenous territories included in the cartel are located in the cantons of Buenos Aires, Coto Brus, Corredores, Golfito and Osa. In total, there will be 85 beneficiary villages, 56 educational centers and 13 health centers, for an approximate of 13,000 people favored with this project.

"The sites mentioned in the poster do not have any infrastructure, so the work will be even greater, FONATEL estimates that the total cost of the project is around $ 30 million," said Jorge Calderón, engineer of the Digital Inclusion department of the Strategy Unit. of the ICE.

The Institute will also be delivering a subsequent offer, on October 19, to bring these same services to seven indigenous territories of the Atlantic Zone.

Indigenous territories where ICE offers

South Zone

• Guaymí de Osa.

• Guaymí de Conteburica.

• Guaymí de Altos de San Antonio.

• Guaymí de Abrojos-Montezuma.

• King Curré.

• Terraba.

• Cabécar de Ujarrás.

• Bribrí de Salitre.

• Bribrí de Cabagra.

Atlantic Zone

• Cabécar Tayní.

• Cabécar Nairi-Awari.

• Talamanca Cabécar.

• Cabécar Bajo Chirripó.

• Cabécar Chirripó Alto.

• Talamanca Bribrí.

• Bribrí keköldi.