View source for Telecommunications in Albania

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{{Economy of Albania}}
'''Telecommunications in Albania''' include radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.

==History==
Until 1990, [[Albania]] was extremely isolated and controlled, and installation and maintenance of a modern system of international and domestic telecommunications was precluded.<ref name=":0">{{citation-attribution|1={{cite encyclopedia|title=Albania: a country study|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/93042885/|last=Sudetic|first=Charles|date=1994|editor1-last=Zickel|editor1-first=Raymond E.|edition=2nd|pages=155|isbn=0-8444-0792-5|oclc=29360048|editor2-last=Iwaskiw|editor2-first=Walter R.|entry=Telecommunications}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Howe |first1=Marvin |title=A Glimpse into Albania |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/10/travel/a-glimpse-into-albania.html |access-date=20 June 2020 |agency=The New York Times |date=10 December 1989}}</ref> Callers previously needed operator assistance even to make domestic long-distance calls.<ref name=":0" />

As of 1992, Albania's telephone density was the lowest in Europe, at 1.4 units for every 100 inhabitants.<ref name=":0" /> [[Tirana]] accounted for about 13,000 of the country's 42,000 direct lines; [[Durrës]], the main port city, ranked second with 2,000 lines; the rest were concentrated in [[Shkodër, Albania|Shkodër]], [[Elbasan]], [[Vlorë]], [[Gjirokastër]], and other towns.<ref name=":0" /> At one time, each village had a telephone but during the land redistribution of the early 1990s peasants knocked out service to about 1,000 villages by removing telephone wire for fencing.<ref name=":0" /> As of 1992, most of Albania's telephones were obsolete, low-quality East European models, some dating from the 1940s; workers at a Tirana factory assembled a small number of telephones from Italian parts.<ref name=":0" />

In the early 1990s, Albania had 240 microwave circuits carrying international calls to Italy and 180 to Greece.<ref name=":0" /> The Albanian telephone company had also installed two U-20 [[Italtel]] digital exchanges.<ref name=":0" /> The exchange in Tirana handled international, national, and local calls; the Durrës exchange handled only local calls.<ref name=":0" /> Two United States firms handled direct-dial calls from the United States to Tirana.<ref name=":0" />

At present{{when|date=August 2018}} the land lines are overloaded, and it is difficult to receive a telephone number. As a result, the number of mobile phones has skyrocketed in the bigger cities.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.inovacioni.gov.al/files/pages_files/183909149-LIGJI-Nr-97-2013-PER-MEDIAT-AUDIOVIZIVE-NE-REPUBLIKEN-E-SHQIPERISE1.pdf |title=Për mediat audiovizive në Republikën e Shqipërisë |access-date=2016-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916045814/http://www.inovacioni.gov.al/files/pages_files/183909149-LIGJI-Nr-97-2013-PER-MEDIAT-AUDIOVIZIVE-NE-REPUBLIKEN-E-SHQIPERISE1.pdf |archive-date=2016-09-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Radio and television==
{{See also |List of radio stations in Albania |Television in Albania}}

* [[Radio broadcasting|Radio stations]]:
** 2 public radio networks and roughly 25 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2010);<ref name=CIAWFB-Albania-2014>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/albania/ "Communications: Albania"], ''World Factbook'', U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 15 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.</ref> 
** FM 56 (3 national, 53 local), shortwave 1 (2008).
* [[Receiver (radio)|Radios]]: 1 million (2001).{{update after|2014|1|29}}
* [[Television broadcasting|Television stations]]: 
** 3 public TV networks, one of which transmits by satellite to Albanian-language communities in neighboring countries; more than 60 private TV stations; many viewers can pick up Italian and Greek TV broadcasts via terrestrial reception; cable TV service is available (2010);<ref name=CIAWFB-Albania-2014/>
** 76 (3 national, 73 local); note - 3 cable networks (2008).
* [[Television set]]s: 1 million (2008).{{update after|2014|1|29}}

The state broadcaster in Albania, [[Radio Televizioni Shqiptar]] (RTSh, Albanian Radio and TV), operates national radio and television networks. It has competition from scores of privately owned stations.<ref name=BBCNewsProfile-Albania-Dec2012>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17680734 "Albania profile: Media"], ''BBC News'', 20 December 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2014.</ref> According to a 2002 survey the broadcaster with the largest audience is [[TV Klan]].{{update after|2014|1|29}}

Television is the most influential medium. Many Albanians watch Italian and Greek stations via terrestrial reception.<ref name=BBCNewsProfile-Albania-Dec2012/>

The [[BBC World Service]] (103.9&nbsp;MHz in the capital, [[Tirana]]), [[Deutsche Welle]], [[Radio France Internationale]], and the [[Voice of America]] are available.<ref name=BBCNewsProfile-Albania-Dec2012/>

==Telephones==
{{See also |Telephone numbers in Albania}}

* [[Calling code]]: +355<ref name=CIAWFB-Albania-2014/>
* [[List of international call prefixes|International call prefixes]]: 069,068,067<ref>[http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/opb/sp/T-SP-E.164C-2011-PDF-E.pdf ''Dialing Procedures (International Prefix, National (Trunk) Prefix and National (Significant) Number) (in Accordance with ITY-T Recommendation E.164 (11/2010))''], Annex to ITU Operational Bulletin No. 994-15.XII.2011, International Telecommunication Union (ITU, Geneva), 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2014.</ref>
* Main lines:
** 197,690 (2021)
* Mobile cellular: 
** 2,635,466 (2021)
* Telephone system: Albania's small telecom market has experienced some significant changes in recent years;  upgrades were made to the fixed-line infrastructure to support broadband services; fixed-line telephony use and penetration in Albania is declining steadily as subscribers migrate to mobile solutions; the mobile sector is well provided with LTE networks, while operators have invested in 5G; some of these efforts have been made in conjunction with neighboring [[Kosovo]], with the intention of a seamless 5G corridor along the highway connecting the two countries; the country has long sought accession to the European Union (EU) which has benefited its telecoms sector through closer scrutiny of its regulatory regime and through the injection of funding to help modernize infrastructure (2021) <ref name=CIAWFB-Albania-2014/>
* [[Communications satellite|Satellite earth stations]]: unknown.{{update after|2014|1|29}}{{clarify |date=January 2014}}
* [[List of international submarine communications cables|Communications cables]]: Submarine cables provide connectivity to Italy, [[Croatia]], and [[Greece]]; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine and land fiber-optic system between Albania and Italy, provides additional connectivity to [[Bulgaria]], [[North Macedonia]], and [[Turkey]] (2011).<ref name=CIAWFB-Albania-2014/> Two other cable systems serving Albania are the ADRIA-1 (Croatia, Albania, Greece) and the Italy-Albania.<ref>[http://www.cablemap.info/ "Greg's Cable Map"], Greg Mahlknecht, 19 December 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.</ref>

==Internet==

* [[Top-level domain]]: [[.al]]<ref name=CIAWFB-Albania-2014/>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet users|Internet users]]: 
** 2.291 million users, 132nd in the world; (2021).<ref name=NIUCalc>Calculated using penetration rate and population data from [https://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/rank.php "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329060848/https://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/rank.php |date=2017-03-29 }}, Population data, International Programs,  U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013</ref><ref name=ITU-IndividualsUsingTheInternet>[http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/statistics/2013/Individuals_Internet_2000-2012.xls "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000–2012"], International Telecommunication Union (Geneva), June 2013, retrieved 22 June 2013</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Fixed broadband]]: 148,882 subscriptions, 91st in the world; 5.0% of population, 103rd in the world (2012).<ref name=NIUCalc/><ref name="FixedBroadbandITUDynamic2012">[http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx "Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726064920/http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx |date=2019-07-26 }}, Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Wireless broadband]]: 552,676 subscriptions, 90th in the world; 18.4% of the population, 74th in the world (2012).<ref name="MobleBroadbandITUDynamic2012">[http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726064920/http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx |date=2019-07-26 }}, Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet hosts|Internet hosts]]: 15,528 hosts, 124th in the world (2012).<ref name=CIAWFB-Albania-2014/>
* [[List of countries by IPv4 address allocation|IPv4]]: 323,840 addresses allocated, less than 0.05% of the world total, 3.4 addresses per 1000 people (2012).<ref>[http://www.countryipblocks.net/country-blocks/select-formats/ Select Formats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513033601/http://www.countryipblocks.net/country-blocks/select-formats/ |date=2009-05-13 }}, Country IP Blocks. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Site is said to be updated daily.</ref><ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2119.html Population] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004113653/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2119.html |date=2018-10-04 }}, ''The World Factbook'', United States Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Data are mostly for 1 July 2012.</ref>
* [[Internet service provider]]s: 10 ISPs (2001). (2 with national coverage and 8 providers with domestic coverage)
'''Providers with national coverage:'''
* [[One Albania]]
* [[Vodafone Albania]]

'''Defunct providers:'''
* [[ALBtelecom]]
* [[Plus Communication|Plus]]
* AMC (part of [[Cosmote]])

Internet broadband services were initiated in 2005, but growth has been slow. Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital.<ref name="CIAWFB-Albania-2014" />

[[Eutelsat]] satellite broadband is being used to provide free public Internet access in rural Albanian post offices, schools, and local government offices.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130221011418/http://www.eutelsat.com/news/compress/en/2012/html/PR%206112%20Tring-Albania/PR%206112%20Tring-Albania.html "Eutelsat satellite broadband selected for free public internet access in Albania"], Press release (PR/61/12), Tring Communications, 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2014.</ref><ref>[http://www.satellitetoday.com/telecom/2012/10/03/eutelsat-wins-significant-government-broadband-contract-in-albania/ "Eutelsat Wins Significant Government Broadband Contract in Albania"], Jeffrey Hill, ''Via Satellite'' integrating ''Satellite Today'', 3 October 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2014.</ref>

===Internet censorship and surveillance===
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports that the government monitors e-mail or Internet [[chat rooms]] without appropriate legal authority. The [[constitution of Albania|constitution]] provides for [[freedom of speech]] and [[freedom of the press|press]], and the government generally respects these rights in practice. However, there are reports that the government and businesses influence and pressure the media. The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence, and the government generally respects these prohibitions in practice.<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204254 "Albania"], ''Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012'', Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 18 April 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2014.</ref>

==See also==

* [[BBC Albanian service]]
* [[Media of Albania]]
* [[Economy of Albania]]

==References==

* {{CIA World Factbook |year=2014}} 
* [[File:PD-icon.svg|12px|link=|alt=]] This article incorporates [[public domain]] material from publications of the [[International Telecommunication Union]] (ITU).
* {{US DOS |year=January 2014}}
{{reflist |30em}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190620054923/https://akep.al/ Authority of Electronic and Postal Communications] (AKEP), {{in lang|sq}}
* [http://www.kkrt.gov.al/images/stories/kkrt/files/projekti%20i%20strategjise.pdf ''Projekt Strategjia e Republikës së Shqipërisë për kalimin nga transmetimet analoge në ato numerike'']{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} {{in lang|sq}} ("Draft Strategy of the Republic of Albania for the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting"), ''Këshilli Kombëtar i Radios dhe Televizionit'' (KKRT) (National Council of Radio and Television). [https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kkrt.gov.al%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fkkrt%2Ffiles%2Fprojekti%2520i%2520strategjise.pdf&sandbox=1 English translation].
* {{cite web |title=Albania enhances telecom sale with mobile license |url=http://www.regulateonline.org/intelecon/2003/July_2003/A-Albania-030704.htm |work=Intelecon Research & Consultancy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040823071002/http://www.regulateonline.org/intelecon/2003/July_2003/A-Albania-030704.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 23, 2004 |date=July 4, 2003}}

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