Mobile termination tariffs undergo second decrease

TIRANA, Aug. 30 – Starting from September 1, mobile termination tariffs for the three biggest operators will undergo their second decrease. The Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP) says mobile termination tariffs will drop to 7.57 lek/minute VAT-excluded for AMC and Vodafone Albania and at 8.85 lek/min for Eagle Mobile.
Termination tariffs, which are fees mobile phone companies charge other carriers to terminate calls on their networks, started lowering last March when they dropped to 8.85 lek/minute for the two biggest operators AMC and Vodafone Albania, down from 10.5 lek/min previously.
The AKEP decision is aimed at providing cost oriented tariffs for operators with significant market power.
According to AKEP, termination tariffs for the three operators it considers as having significant market power, AMC, Vodafone Albania and Eagle Mobile will be reduced to 4.57 lek/min by September 2014, down from 10.5 lek/min currently.
AKEP also says it is concluding an analysis on the SMS termination tariffs, which it says are currently at 7 times higher than their cost. AKEP says the current termination tariff is 4 lek/SMS at a time when the cost is 0.58 lek/SMS. The Electronic Communications Authority foresees to lower these tariffs to 0.58 lek/SMS for all four operators by September 2013 starting with gradual decreases in four stages for the next two years. In September 2011, the SMS termination tariffs will be at 1.44 lek, according to recommended tariffs.