Internet monopoly in buildings / The Competition Authority opens an investigation against the administration companies

2024-01-10 08:47:56, Ekonomi CNA

Internet monopoly in buildings / The Competition Authority opens an

The Competition Authority has opened a preliminary investigation against the administration companies in the residential residences of the district of Tirana, in the Internet service access market.

The procedure has started based on several complaints filed with the Competition Authority, on the problems in the choice of internet service provision near the building complexes in the capital.

From the evaluation of the information collected during the monitoring carried out by the inspectors of the Competition Authority near the building complexes in Tirana, it was found that, in one case, despite the statement of the administration company that residents and businesses are free to choose internet providers according to their wishes of them, businesses near this complex testified that for three years they have been connected to a single Internet provider and cannot change it. According to them, in this complex the internet is provided by only one provider.

While in another case, according to the administration company, due to the builder's infrastructure, it was only possible for one internet provider to operate in the space of the complex, thus making it impossible to choose another provider for this service.

Based on the above facts, the Competition Commission has assessed that there are reasonable doubts that there are problems in the market of internet service access in residential residences of the district of Tirana, and there may be elements of abuse of the dominant position by administration companies in the residences of the district of Tirana. Such a situation may be a sign of restriction, distortion or obstruction of competition in the sense of Article 9 of the Law "On the Protection of Competition". The preliminary investigation will cover the time period from January 1, 2020 to October 13, 2023.

Monopolies providing Internet service with fixed lines are not uncommon in residential buildings in Tirana. Often, construction firms or management companies themselves give the right to deploy the connection infrastructure to a single service provider, preventing other companies. Such a practice deprives the residents of the buildings of the possibility of choice and forces them to receive fixed communication services, such as Internet, IPTV or telephone from a single service provider.

The administration companies exercise their activity in accordance with the law of 2009 "On the administration of condominiums in residential buildings". Referring to Article 19, of this law, the Presidency, on behalf and on behalf of the assembly, may enter into a contract for the administration of the co-ownership with an administration company or an administrator, a natural person, who may be one of the co-owners or an external person . Every person, natural or legal, private, whose object of activity is the administration of buildings, is registered in the book of administrators, at the municipality, municipality, in whose jurisdiction he will exercise this activity./ Monitor.al