'Use VOIP and go to Jail in Costa Rica?' Technology

Use VOIP and go to Jail in Costa Rica?

Raimy (64.15.7.8) -

In his article, Neville points out:

"On Saturday, an article in La Nación (in Spanish, and registration required), the leading and most influential Costa Rican daily newspaper, reports on some pretty radical measures that Costa Rica's state-owned telephone company is planning to get pushed through the Costa Rican legislature to prevent usage of internet phone services by making use of them illegal. "

"According to La Nación, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the phone company, is deliberating two things - either, to consider internet telephony as a fraudulent activity and to make it a criminal offence for anyone to use VoIP services; or, treat it as an added-value service and regulate it. "

His misses a couple of important points about VOIP and Costa Rica:

1) With the internet, data is data. Can we micro regulate what data is what? Is VOIP different from a .JPG image or a Real Audio clip? We see the data differently, but to the net they are just TCP/IP packets.

2) Calling the United States from Costa Rica costs around US $.50 per minute and the quality can be quite variable. If Costa Rica wants to emerge from its status as a third world country technologically, they need to realize that communication is important.

I seem to recall an uproar not long ago when Panama announced that ISPs had to block VOIP ports. There was a tremendous uproar (especially by those it would have no direct impact on -- but data is data). Why has there been no similiar uproar in Costa Rica. I believe that some VOIP services are blocked.

Maybe with only one (two) State Run ISP's they can get away with silently blocking the services and hope no one will notice.

What other "data" may also be blocked or outlawed?

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Reply #1 Jose (196.40.43.76) -

The result of the Panama experience was that Panama deregulated the telecom industry. Today Panama is looking like the new hemispheric leader for Latin America. A position which Costa Rica has had in the past. Instead of regulations, ICE should seek to deregulate the entire cost structure of its telecommunication services and expand what is available at lower numbers. Ultimately, deregulation of telecommunication services has been to the benefit of the nation, and its people in all countries which have done it !

Reply #2 Jose (196.40.43.76) -

Consider the following, Panama today via its deregulation is absorbing investment money, rentista, and others who would of and in the past did come to Costa Rica. Anyone looking at the centeral valley economics would say there has been a downturn since the disaster with the Brothers, and the river of scandals. So for the government to come up with more regulator movements to finish off its economics is unwise.

Unless of course these people are not interested in the economic development of their people and are looking at their

petty political kingdoms.

A great way to ensure poverty, despair, jobless situations,

and piss poor economic performance. Do not look at the statistics from the government, walk around the towns look

at the stores and do some analysis.

The results in the centeral valley are not what they use to be nor what they should be.

Reply #3 Justin (66.234.233.66) -

Actually it is possible with today’s technology to implement a simple device that will allow you to easily monitor and restrict VOIP traffic. Internet traffic uses 7 layers, and there are devices that can be used to regulate all 7 layers.

Reply #4 Lee (69.73.45.55) -

Has the VOIP been resolved?

I talked to a CR government person in NY and said with the monolopy telcom the rules are not clear but they new someone that dropped used a Co like vonage.

She said it has to be from your server in CR to a server in the states.

Would a server with a Virtual PBX in CR to dial tone VOIP with US Numbers be considered legal?

I will be getting a T1 line in CR & 90% of calls will be to US & if US called my Co it would be to a US VOIP number.

Would a satellite with internet connect solve it or is it regualted also.

Lee

Lee

Reply #5 Michael Light (201.201.8.86) -

I am not amazed at ICEs position. Their position is exactly that of many organizations that have tried to halt "open standards" and "deregulation". In the US and in Europe virtually every traditional data company and voice company that has not embraced the new open standards has decayed and/or been absorbed by more flexible organizations.

The same process happens with nations. Most of those that have embraced the newer technologies and approaches have flourished and those like France who have not have declined.

Earlier comments about Panama are right on point. As long as ICE continues to hold the country back, the infusion of capital will dwindle and head south to Panama and north to Mexico.

Availability of options and advanced communications will lead the reasons for growing countries in the next ten years.

Hopefully the new President will have enough political capital to create the necessary changes.

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