One Albania places at the center of its fixed market strategy the expansion of optical fiber infrastructure throughout the country. Increased investments for enhancing quality and boosting internet speed are some of the initiatives undertaken by the company immediately after the merger of two telecommunication giants.

The primary focus of the company is on providing a better network and services, as well as an improved and dedicated customer experience, making it the preferred choice of Albanians. The company presents today the largest network infrastructure in Albania, with over 6000 km of fiber nationwide, a highly reliable 4G+ cellular network, and fiber infrastructure. The company has a track record of continuous success and aims in its vision to be a new hub for intercontinental fiber connections and transit traffic for operators.

To learn more about developments in technology and the telecommunications market, as well as the company's specific plans for what will be offered to customers, we conducted an interview with Mr. Ilir Duka, Director of the Technology Group.

Mr. Duka, ONE Albania enjoys the status of being the largest fiber network infrastructure provider. How has this fact influenced the transformation of service offerings for Albanians and the digital landscape in the country?

With over 6000 km of fiber spread across the country, ONE Albania has undoubtedly strengthened its position as a leader in the industry, intensely committed to transforming the digital landscape. ONE Albania is the only network offering optical fiber infrastructure, now available in all urban areas nationwide, and fixed broadband services, not only for its customers but also distributing internet for many other alternative operators in Albania.

Over the past three years, the company has undertaken intensive investment in Fiber Rollout deployment, leveraging GPON technology. Today, ONE's fiber network covers 245,000 households, or 55% of the addressable market, a figure that speaks to its competitive advantage. Users can experience connection capacities and internet speeds reaching up to 1 Gbps, reaffirming ONE Albania's commitment to providing high-quality services for both residential and business customers. The year 2023 marked a significant milestone for ONE Albania as it introduced 36,000 new Fiber to the Home (FTTH) connections.

With a particular focus on the capital, this intensive development initiative pushed the company to cover nearly 80% of the urban area within the municipality of Tirana. The strength of this extensive network lies in ONE Albania's unparalleled commitment to building the most protected and robust fiber backbone. Spanning over 2000 km and including advanced technologies such as DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) and IPMPLS (Internet Protocol Multi-Protocol Label Switching), the network is safeguarded by strategically positioned ring topologies along the country's highways and main roads. Furthermore, ONE Albania stands as the primary gateway for internet in the country. We pride ourselves on 11 international cross-border interconnections via submarine fiber cables, connecting five neighboring countries and making ONE Albania the most interconnected network in the country.

We would like to uncover a bit more about the ambitious fiber expansion strategy for the next 2 years.

With a clear vision, we at ONE Albania indeed have a very ambitious fiber expansion strategy for the period 2024-2026. The four main pillars of this strategy include a broad expansion of the fiber footprint, aiming to reach 450,000 urban households in every city of the country. The company also plans to facilitate the migration of existing customers from legacy copper xDSL technology to innovative GPON fiber-based technology, ensuring high-quality services, long-term support for growing customer demands, and operational efficiency and network maintenance. Furthermore, ONE Albania will actively support growth in the Business-to-Business (B2B) segments, offering dedicated solutions and tailored networks for the diverse needs of governmental and private entities. As part of the visionary plan, infrastructure and fiber base capacities will further develop, anticipating increasing demands from Fixed Broadband (FBB) and Mobile Broadband (MBB) traffic, local demands driven by the arrival of 5G technology, and the vision of making ONE Albania a new hub for intercontinental fiber connections and transit traffic for operators.

ONE Albania's advancements in fiber technology are an example of a commitment to innovation, connectivity, and a vision that transcends national borders. As the company continues to lead in the telecommunications field, these achievements mark a turning point in the country's digital evolution.