TIRANA, June 3 – Albania will launch the fourth generations 4G mobile service next September, catching up with the high-speed communications trend, the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority has announced.
The launch of the 4G offering faster internet access comes after three out of four mobile companies operating in Albania were granted licences for a total amount of 23.5 million euros last March.
Mobile companies posted a decline in income for the second year in a row on lower number of active users and reduced tariffs fuelled by tougher competition, the Electronic Communications Authority said in an annual report.
The four mobile companies operating in Albania posted income of 32 billion lek in 2014 (Euro 224 million), down 13 percent compared to 2013. The number of active mobile users, defined as those that have made or received at least a call or SMS in the last three months, dropped by 9 percent to 3.4 million in 2014 while the average revenue per user dropped to Euro 39 a year, down from Euro 42 a year earlier on lower mobile rates.
Mobile phone tariffs continued dropping even in 2014 with Albanians spending an average of 2.63 lek (€0.018)/minute, down from 3.13 lek (€0.021)/minute in 2013 and 6.49 lek (€0.045)/minute in 2010.
