FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
How was power in mobile telephony concentrated from four operators to two, and who pays the bill?
Vodafone Albania and One Albania today constitute the sole axis of the mobile market in Albania. A market that once had four players, with dynamic entry and exit and aggressive price wars, has transformed into a pure duopoly structure.
The exit of Plus Communication from the market and subsequent consolidation through the absorption of Albtelecom by One Albania has reduced real competition to a structural minimum. The question that arises today is not whether we have only two companies, but whether we have two companies with such market power that they can influence prices, the pace of investments and the quality of service without fear of a destabilizing third rival.
From an economic point of view, the Albanian mobile market has classic characteristics of a concentrated oligopoly: high entry barriers, large fixed infrastructure costs, a small market with high penetration, and state regulation over the spectrum.
In an economy with around 2.8 million inhabitants and with mobile penetration exceeding 100% (many users with more than one SIM card), the space for organic growth is limited. This means that profit no longer comes from expanding the customer base, but from increasing revenue per user (ARPU), from more expensive packages and from better cost control. In a two-player structure, the incentive to engage in destructive price wars is minimal; the incentive for tariff stability is maximum.
Compared to the region, Albania presents a higher concentration. In Kosovo, two or three actors operate with a visible presence, in North Macedonia there are three consolidated operators, while in Montenegro with 700 thousand inhabitants, the market has three active licenses. In most Western Balkan countries, even when one operator dominates, there is a third that serves as a structural pressure on prices. Albania, with two large operators and without a real MVNO (virtual mobile network operator) is among the most closed markets in relation to its size.
Market power is measured through concentration (HHI index), market shares and the ability to influence price above marginal cost. Even without detailed public figures updated at any time, a 50/50 or 55/45 structure between the two actors produces a very high HHI; in practice above the limits that in the EU are considered indicators of high competition risk.
Under such conditions, even without a written agreement, the market tends towards tacit coordination: packages change similarly, base rates move in parallel, promotional offers are temporary and cautious, without destabilizing the overall equilibrium.
The most delicate dimension is the relationship between investment and competition. Operators argue, not without reason, that consolidation increases the capacity for investment in 4G+ and 5G, for network expansion and for quality improvement. But international experience shows that when competition declines, investments do not automatically increase; they are rationalized.
In a small market, return on capital becomes a priority. So, you invest as much as the regulator and minimal competitive pressure require, not as much as you would invest in an environment with three or four players fighting for market share.
The role of the Competition Authority and the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority becomes key in this context. But the truth is that this role is not even heard of. The challenge is not to prove a classic cartel, but to monitor structural behavior: is there tariff synchronization, are there barriers to entry for virtual operators, are there practices that limit the movement of subscribers between networks? If the regulator remains passive, the duopoly stabilizes in a “cold peace” that favors financial balances, but not necessarily the consumer.
There is also a geo-economic dimension. Telecommunications is a critical infrastructure, with an impact on national security and European integration. Albania aspires to harmonise with EU standards, where competition policy is one of the main pillars. A highly concentrated market, without corrective instruments such as MVNOs or strong wholesale tariff regulation, could raise questions in the process of approximation with the acquis communautaire* in the field of competition and electronic communications.
Ultimately, the crux of the debate is not simply whether two companies are “too few” or “enough”. The crux is whether the current structure produces competitive prices, sustainable innovation and quality of service at a regional level. If the Albanian consumer pays comparable or higher tariffs than the region for the same volume of service, then market power is real and exercised. If packages are similar and tariff movements reflect each other with minimal delay, then we are dealing with a market that has reached the comfortable equilibrium of two dominant actors.
In a small economy, perhaps three full operators are a luxury. But competition is not a luxury; it is a protective mechanism for citizens and businesses. If Albania does not find ways to inject competitive pressure, whether through virtual operators or more aggressive regulation, it risks the mobile market remaining a consolidated duopoly, where the financial stability of the companies comes before the dynamism of the market. And in this equation, the final bill usually ends up in the pocket of the Albanian user. / Pamphlet
* Acquis Communautaire - the complete body of legislation, rules, standards and judicial decisions of the European Union, which every candidate country must accept and implement in order to join the EU.
Sherbime e kompanive cellulare lene te zbuluar zona pafund, edhe brenda Tiranes per te mos thene per Fshatrat jane zero. Kliente te kapur ne kurth me kontrate me shkrim per abonim me kohe te gjate. Ne momentin qe klienti nuk e do me sherbimin I vendosin penalitete a thua jane shtet, ku krejt e kunderta ndodh ne Europe qe te ofrojne sherbimin pa kontrate dhe ne momentin qe do e nderpret. Me nje fjale fare e keqe ka mbire ngado. Duhet nje ilaq I forte per ta shfarosur. Ne momentin qe nje operator I trete te hy ne Shqiperi, te gjithe shqiptaret do trasferohen tek ajo.
Se mos vetëm celularët. Po platformat Digitalb e Tring. Cmim dhe shërbime te unifikuar ne nje! Ne ate vend hale cdo gje kunder Shqiptarit.
Duopol i heshtur. Konçensioni që në fillim është dhënë pa garë , favorizues ndaj konçensionarit , në dëm të interesit publik dhe konsumatorëve. Por me përfitim nga 'AUTORITETI'i kohës. Për të njëjtat arsye edhe sot, AUTORITETI ' flen gjumë.
Kur Qeveria lejon bashkimet, ska si ndodh ndryshe. Plusi u nda tek Vodafone dhe One. Me vone One bleu Albtelecomin. Pra jane blerje te qlimshme per te arritur tek moskonkurrenca. Bashkimet sduhet te ishin lejuar nga Autoriteti i Konkurrences. AKEPi nuk ekziston fare, sepse nuk ka asnje analize tregu dhe asnje vendim kunder 2 operatoreve per moskonkurrence. Kot sa marrin rrogat. Pra si ne cdo drejtim, edhe ne telekomunikacion nje m.t te madh po ben Qeveria
Ca pergjigje te lëshe kur çmimet rriten çdo muaj pa.as nje arrsye
Me keto kompani,kur ben kontraten,te listojne sherbimet,psh,tek Tring.Kur ka evenimente sportive,si psh Olimpiada e Milanos,disa kanale qe japin kete ngjarje,mbyllen.I kerkon shpjegim companise,nuk te jep.Po Shoqata e Mbrojtjes se Konsumatorit,ku eshte?Kush na mbron nga abuzimi?Keshtu me telefonine,e me te gjithe ofruesit e sherbimeve.Cili qytetar mbrohet nga ligji?Prandaj,jemi 100 vjet prapa dynjase dhe 50 vjet anash.Shikojeni me dylbi BE-ne!