Communications in Albania
Encyclopedia
Until 1990, Albania
was one of the world's most isolated and controlled countries, and installation and maintenance of a modern system of international and domestic telecommunications was precluded. Callers previously needed operator assistance even to make domestic long-distance calls.
Albania's telephone density was the lowest in Europe
, at 1.4 units for every 100 inhabitants. 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, Elbasan
, Vlorë
, Gjirokastër
, and other towns. 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. 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.
In the early 1990s, Albania had 240 microwave circuits to Italy
and 180 to Greece
carrying international calls. The Albanian telephone company had also installed two U-20 Italtel digital exchanges. The exchange in Tirana handled international, national, and local calls; the Durrës exchange handled only local calls. Two United States
firms handled direct-dial calls from the United States to Tirana. At present the land lines are overloaded and it is difficult to receive a telephone number. As a result, the number of mobile phone
s has skyrocketed in the bigger cities.
Despite investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with nearly ten lines per 100 people (2008); however, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective.
The state broadcaster in Albania is Radio Televizioni Shqiptar
(RTSH). The broadcaster with the most audience is TV Klan (according to a survey conducted in 2002).
country comparison to the world: 98
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
was one of the world's most isolated and controlled countries, and installation and maintenance of a modern system of international and domestic telecommunications was precluded. Callers previously needed operator assistance even to make domestic long-distance calls.
Albania's telephone density was the lowest in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, at 1.4 units for every 100 inhabitants. Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
accounted for about 13,000 of the country's 42,000 direct lines; Durrës
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
, the main port city, ranked second with 2,000 lines; the rest were concentrated in Shkodër, Elbasan
Elbasan
Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
, Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
, and other towns. 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. 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.
In the early 1990s, Albania had 240 microwave circuits to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and 180 to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
carrying international calls. The Albanian telephone company had also installed two U-20 Italtel digital exchanges. The exchange in Tirana handled international, national, and local calls; the Durrës exchange handled only local calls. Two United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
firms handled direct-dial calls from the United States to Tirana. At present the land lines are overloaded and it is difficult to receive a telephone number. As a result, the number of mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s has skyrocketed in the bigger cities.
Telephone system
- Main lines in use: 316,400 (2008)
- Mobile cellular: 3.1 million (2008)
Despite investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with nearly ten lines per 100 people (2008); however, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective.
- domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's Balkan neighbors
- international: inadequate fixed main lines; adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)
Radio and television
- Radio broadcast stations: FM 56 (3 national, 53 local), shortwave 1 (2008)
- Radios: 1 million (2001)
- Television broadcast stations: 76 (3 national, 73 local); note - 3 cable networks (2008)
- Televisions: 1 million (2008)
The state broadcaster in Albania is Radio Televizioni Shqiptar
Radio Televizioni Shqiptar
Radio Televizioni Shqiptar is the public broadcaster of Albania, founded in 1938 in Tirana....
(RTSH). The broadcaster with the most audience is TV Klan (according to a survey conducted in 2002).
Internet
- Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (2001)
- Internet users: 1,000,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 98
- Country code: AL
See also
- Telephone numbers in Albania