TIRANA TIMES
TIRANA, May 3 – The Albanian body in charge of number portability said this week that Albanian customers would soon be able to switch from one cell phone company to the next without changing their numbers. They would be able to do so in 24 hours and at a minimal cost of 600 leks, about 6 dollars.
The entity, AKEP, said the process will be effective within a year.
Rudolf Papa, an official with AKEP, told Albania’s Alsat television station that a database would be set up and administered by a private company. That business would be selected in an open tender and overseen by AKEP.
“The amount of time is reduced, as is every bureaucratic step in procedural terms,” Papa said.
International experience with number portability has shown that it offers higher competition and leads to cheaper services of better quality, he added.
Number portability is a reality in all counties of the region, and Albania is drawing on the experience of Croatia for its service.
