Telekom fined for failure to implement +383 code

The state phone code was divided into Kosovo at the end of 2016, and since 2019 it was designed to be fully implemented by all local operators.

According to ARKEP board chairman Nazim Beating, phone operators IPKO and MTS have already made full implementation of this code.

The company “Mts.o.o.” is the third telephone operator in the country, operating in limited territory, respectively, in Kosovo's majority Serb municipalities.

The operator running this direction is the public phone company, “Vala”.

Kosovo's telecom had managed to make full implementation of the code in terms of fixed phones, but had requested additional deadlines for mobile phone (Vala).

According to the beat, the argument of Telekom's request concerned the financial problems this public company has.

“On this issue, ARKEP has reviewed and made a decision where the operator has been pronounced conclusively so that by 31 March 2020 the implementation of the” code will be completed in all, the beat said.

After Telekom had failed to respect this deadline, the proclamation of monthly fines of 5 thousand euros began, and these fines are continuing today.

If the debt, including July of this year, is estimated to be 80 thousand euros.

Kosovo's Telekom has confirmed to Radio Free Europe that it is continuing to be fined because of its failure to implement the +383 code.

“Codi 383 is partially implemented in Kosovo Telecom. Presentation in exit calls at 383. Accepting incoming calls is only 383. Calls to foreign codes, until recently in use in Kosovo (+377), have long not been possible. However, Telekom lags slightly behind in full implementation of Kosovo's codes, which have more effect on warning and background operations, transparent for the consumer”, said Fadil Lepaja, director for Public Communication in Telekom.

Free Europe Radio finds that this company, due to financial difficulties, has failed to pay fines pronounced so far.

Kosovo's telecom is in deep financial crisis now and how much time, due to numerous accumulated debts. One of Kosovo's Telekom's debts totals the value of more than 25m euros it has over the company, with which the contract has been cut off, Z-Mobile, which is handling completion from Telekom.

383 internationalisation challenges

The definition of the state phone code for Kosovo was designated as telephone independence by local leaders.

However, the application and internationalization of this code continues to be problematic in 2021.

Drirt Elshani, the telecommunications issue expert, told Radio Free Europe that a more effective plan for internationalisation of the code had to be made.

“still has problems adopting this code on the international level. For example, there are still many states in which the 383 code is not known and from those states can be called to Kosovo using the old” code, he said.

In addition to the international call problems, one of the problems that since the code was introduced was the introduction of the new code into international digital platforms.

The great challenge also showed the question of double verification, which is a procedure already required by many apps that have found increased use in the world today.

One of the major platforms that is being used much in Kosovo in developing online businesses is “Instagram”, which has not integrated the +383 code.

The biggest problem is the issue of verifying the identity of social media profiles, whether personal or business. Its check through code 383 is actually very difficult, and in some social networks it is impossible”, Elshani said.

The state code was divided to Kosovo in December 2016 by the International Communications Union (ITU). In contrast, its implementation was meant to begin on June 30th 2018, but this deadline was extended for 31 October, following the demands of mobile and fixed mobile operators “Vala” and “IPKO”

Another deadline was January 15th of 2019, as the last date when the two operators had to start with the implementation of the +383 telephone code and the total departure of international codes.

In Kosovo, before the existence of the +383 code, the code of Serbia (+381), the Code of Monaco (+377) and Slovenia's (+386). / REL