November
2000
Update: Albania
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Update: Albania |
In Albania, over 25 companies have equipment linked directly to WWW. Out of these companies, 6 are private companies, 1 public institution and 3 donor institutions. In general, these web sites support only one organisation or subject, not multiple ones. However, because of the low level of Internet service development, many institutions do not have web sites. It is very common that members of an organisation have no other web sites apart from the organisation’s website.
Since last year, 12 Internet Service Providers have been set up. Internet cafés, Internet centres, etc. are also being created to increase the public access to information. Telecommunication Regulatory entity is implementing a policy that allows Internet cafés to exercise their activity for free (not paying any taxes). This policy includes, however, a restriction of the number of Dial up subscribers.
ISPs that are already operating in Albania provide both limited and unlimited service 24 hours a day. Because of the short supply of the ISPs, the costs are relatively high. Nevertheless, with the increasing competition in the ISP business and lower rates, more private subjects and NGOs will be attracted to using private ISPs.
Up to now there are 4600 Internet users in Albania. The number of Internet users is expected to increase because of the access to ISDN lines. The effect of the ISDN lines will be obvious in the next months.
At present, only one organisation provides Internet service for free. SOROS foundation provides such service to a particular category of institutions and organisations (NGOs, educational institutions, etc.).
Total number of "Population" |
Total Number of Web Sites |
% Websites / total number of "population" |
Source |
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| Primary/ secondary schools* | 3200 | 1 | 0.03% | http://www.albania.co.uk/culture/education |
| High schools/ universities | 506 | 7 | 1% | http://www.albania.co.uk/culture/education |
| National ministries | 22** | 12 | 55% | www.albaniaonline.net |
| Regional and local authorities | 474*** | 15 | 3% | ACER estimation |
| Hospitals/ Clinics |
2488 | 0 | 0% | Institute of Statistics, "Albania in Figures 1997" www.instat.gov.al |
| Museums | 28 | 0 | 0% | National Museum |
| Libraries | 70 | 1 | 1% | National Library. www.natlib.gov.al |
* There are over 1500 primary schools and 1700 secondary schools all over Albania. None of them has web site until now. We have contacted the departments of primary, secondary and high school education in the Ministry of Education and Science (www.mash.gov.al) with respect to this problem. An e project has been undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Science to install LAN through Universities, as well as Internet and Intranet through Educational directories in districts and the Ministry of Education and Science.
** This figure includes 16 national ministries (www.mfa.gov.al, www.mkrs.gov.al, www.mepp.gov.al, www.mpp.gov.al, http://pages.albaniaonline/mbet), Council of Ministries (www.depinf.albnet.net), Parliament (www.parliament.tirana.al), Presidency, (www.president.gov.al), National Securities Agency (www.insig.com.al), and National Agency of Privatisation and Institute of Statistics (www.instat.gov.al). Some ministries are in the tender process for finding the proper ISP for them, while some others are planning to have their own web sites in the near future, or having their web page under construction (e.g., the Ministry of transports).
*** Regional and Local Authorities include: Municipalities, Prefectures, Communes, as well as Regional Development Agencies, Chambers of Commerce and Industry (www.cci.gov.al), and Political Parties in Albania.
In Albania, the following ISPs are under operation:
AB Com, a regional ISP, is under construction while AND, a regional ISP serving Tirana, Durresi, and Fier, is under discussion.
Source: Telecommunications Regulatory Entity
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