In which year the internet was first connected to Albania

It was 1989. A historic event occurred at the Polytechnic University of Tirana: Albania's first link to the internet.

The UPT IT class completed an Internet connection with the University of Pisa in Italy. This was the first experimental step that introduced Albania to the online revolution.

However, the commercial internet in Albania would only start travel in 1995, thanks to a server installed by society “Infosoft”, but that represented an elementary form of connection. Messages to the network were all collected and sent at intervals to Italy, from which the final distribution was made.

In 1996, The UNDP enabled an internet server for non-profit organisations. But the massive distribution of the service began only after 1997. Initially, several private operators and then “Albtelecom”, through the dial service up, offered internet service in residences and offices.

The first Internet cafe in Albania was opened in 1999, and the tariffs were high enough, up to $500 per hour. Over the years, Internet cafes would be among the most fashionable of businesses. Their numbers increased significantly and tariffs gradually dropped to 100 lek/hours. But by 2005 the Internet spread was very modest. Due to scarce investments, by 2005 the internet is estimated to be using less than 5% of Albanians, mostly on the internet-cafe.

The following years brought a much higher rate of internet use. Based on the latest data, the Electronic and Post Communications Authority estimates there are nearly 2.2 million Albanians using the wide-generation Internet by mobile networks, while numbering about 280 thousand fixed-line subscribers.

Domain One, Up.al

Albania was equipped with a single domain area in 1992, with the “area.al”. That same year, the first domain in the area was registered. Domaine belonged to the Polytechnic University in Tirana, and the address was “upt.al”.

Based on the latest data from AKEP, at the end of last year the total number of domains registered in Albania has reached just over 18 thousand. Increasing internet use and liberalisation of registration procedures have brought high increases in domains in the Albanian area in recent years. Last year alone, about 5800 registered.

Currently, document registration can be done in seven companies accredited by AKEP for the post. The initial census of a domain is conducted over a five-year period, for which each recorder paid in AKEP a five thousand-dollar fee.

The domain registration service can be provided by any information technology and communication company, previously accredited at AKEP. Until today, AKEP has accredited the seven operators for offering this service.

SCAN Magazine