If you are familiar with products released by the Mozilla Foundation, such as the popular Firefox web browser, you might be interested in the latest offerings by smartphone manufacturers Alcatel and ZTE. Earlier this week, the Mozilla Foundation and its strategic partners announced the release of the ZTE Open and Alcatel Touch, two smartphones powered by the new Firefox OS mobile operating system.

Although the Alcatel Touch and ZTE Open have not yet arrived in Costa Rica, there is a strong chance that they may soon be available to Ticos who are in search of a nimble and affordable smartphone. The first Firefox OS smartphone to ship along with a wireless service provider is the ZTE Open on Spain’s Movistar network. According to a press release by Telefonica, Movistar’s parent company and one of the most powerful wireless providers in the world, the ZTE Open will initially launch in Spain, Colombia and Venezuela for an affordable price.

Right Price, Right Place, Right Time

Technology journalists have already speculated about the ZTE Open launch strategy in Spain, a country where overall unemployment is currently at 27 percent. The price point for the new Firefox OS smartphone is just right: 69 euros, approximately 90 U.S. dollars or 45,000 colones at today’s currency exchange. According to Charles Arthur of The Guardian, Telefonica is employing a masterful strategy to ensure the success of future Firefox OS smartphones.

In cash-strapped Spain, like in Costa Rica, prepaid cell phones are all the rage. Telefonica is offering 30 euros of calling credit when purchasing the ZTE Open, on which the telecommunications giant is already taking a 25 percent hit on its profit margin. Telefonica is hitting the right market at the right time; smartphones are now ubiquitous, and there are plenty of first-time buyers that would buy one if only the price was right.

In Costa Rica, Movistar has been engaged in tough competition against newcomer Claro and the former monopoly and telecommunications behemoth ICE and its flagship Kolbi brand. One strategy that Movistar has explored is to offer affordable handsets. The Spanish company offers its own brand of cheap feature phones and Android-powered smartphones. The company may be taking a hit with each sale of its Movistar Shot 3G, Onda and Android cell phones, but Ticos appreciate paying just 14,000 colones for a bare-bones Onda or less than 55,000 for a new Movistar Android smartphone.

The ZTE Open in Spain is even cheaper than the Movistar Android in Costa Rica, so there is no guarantee that it will be sold at the same price when it arrives in our country. Ticos appreciate reliable and versatile products such as the reigning Nokia 2730 Classic, a feature phone that has managed to keep its popularity in the last few years. The success of the Firefox OS phones in Spain and emerging markets such as Colombia and Venezuela will determine how soon it will be available in Costa Rica.