Fixed Internet, service contracts must also specify the minimum speed

2026-02-10 07:16:42, Aktualitet CNA

Internet service providers must also specify in the service contract the minimum speed for downloading and uploading data.

Such an obligation is foreseen in the new law "On Electronic Communications", adopted at the end of 2024 and the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP) has included it in the new regulation on "Determining the contract summary model to be used by providers of public electronic communications services".

According to the annexes to the regulation, for fixed network internet access services, the contract must include the minimum, normally available and maximum download and upload speeds, while in the case of mobile networks, the maximum estimated download and upload speeds of the internet access service will be included.

To date, the speed specified in fixed-line internet service contracts refers to the maximum speed, respectively for downloading and uploading data.

But, in practice, the actual internet speed is variable and often far from the maximum speed stipulated in the contract. Now, the new legal framework also establishes the obligation to specify a minimum connection speed.

The law also provides that any significant, persistent or regularly recurring discrepancy between the actual quality of the internet access service and that provided for in the contract terms shall be considered to constitute a performance discrepancy for the purposes of invoking the remedies available to the consumer, in accordance with national legislation. Such a provision aims to protect the consumer in cases where the operator does not provide the quality of service provided for in the contract.

According to the latest data from AKEP, the number of fixed-line internet subscribers at the end of September 2025 reached around 710 thousand, up 2.4% compared to the previous quarter and 7.1% compared to the same period a year ago.

The fixed-line internet market continues to follow a steady upward trend, partially narrowing the gap in the penetration of fixed communication lines.

The market in general is showing growth and high competition, especially in large urban centers, where the population concentration is higher. Operators have gradually renovated the infrastructure towards newer technologies, such as fiber optics, which has contributed to the increase in average connection speeds for users.

According to the latest data on internet speed, at the end of 2024, about 84% of subscribers had lines with speeds greater than 30 Mbps (megabits per second), up from 69% at the end of 2023. Meanwhile, 42% of subscribers have connections with speeds above 100 Mbps, up from 28% in 2023.

Always referring to 2024 figures, about 69% of internet connections from fixed networks rely on fiber optic technology./ Monitor.al