Update July 2000: Albania

1. Introduction

In this quarter, the main focus has been on the privatisation of the Albanian Mobile Communication Company. The procedures of the privatisation process are featured in virtually every newspapers, interviews, and TV broadcasts. The privatisation was planned since 1998, but was not realised until 15 May 2000.

2. National/local strategies of the Information Society and its action plans

2.1. Investment in telecommunications field

Albtelecom has mainly focused on improving the necessary infrastructure of telecommunications, through several investments in this field. To provide the necessary telephone central equipment, for extending the subscribers in Albania, Albtelecom signed a cooperation contract with Siemens company in Munich, Germany.

Since 1 July, Albtelecom will provide two additional services:

• Subscriber can change the secret telephone code at their home or office. It will no longer be necessary for subscribers to make changes at the respective telecomm office or to ask somebody to do this for them.
• The subscribers in Tirana will be able to know by themselves how many impulses they used before they receive the receipts from Albtelecom.

To facilitate data communication, ISDN lines will soon be installed. Installation is expected to be completed by July 2000.

A development fund for Albtelekomin (worth of US$3 million) is currently being considered.

2.2 Albtelecom is preparing for getting the license as a National ISP.

The installation of Back Bone Internet network has been completed. At present, Albtelecom is ready to operate as a national ISP. Operation is expected to start in July 2000.

2.3 TRE issued a license to Cybernet company - to operate as an ISP.

On June 2000, TRE issued a license to Cybernet Company to operate as an ISP. Cybernet will improve the quality of service and will increase the number of people having access to Internet, thus promoting information society in Albania.

2.4 AMC

There have been a lot of discussions regarding the strategic investor, who will win the tender for the privatisation. IMF anticipated that the completion of the privatisation would be postponed to June 2000. The consortium Telenor Cosmote won the open tender on May 15, 2000, buying 85% of shares of the AMC Company with a value of 85 million USD. All the privatisation procedures are expected to be completed by July 30, 2000.

2.5. Licensing of the second mobile operator in Albania

During 2000, it is expected that there will be an open international tender for a second mobile operator in Albania. The tender will likely occur after the completion of the privatisation of AMC, the first mobile operator. The Telecommunications Regulatory Entity (TRE) has announced its intent to limit mobile communications to only two parallel services.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is assisting TRE in preparing the necessary documentation for conducting the international tender. The director of World Bank for Albania and Croatia, Mr Antrim Hartman has announced such assistance. Depending on the time for procedures, the date of tender preparation will be announced soon.

3. Information content stimulation

The Telecommunications Regulatory Entity organised a seminar on ISPs in Albania on 22 May 2000. The seminar aimed to gather all the experts of telecommunications field such as ISPs, Albtelecom, users, TRE, to discuss the technical issues in developing ISPs.