Albanian Competition Authority orders cheaper mobile plans for retirees and students

On 24 July, Albania's Competition Authority approved a decision after a detailed investigation of Vodafone Albania and One Albania, finding parallel price hikes, highly similar packages and insufficient cost documentation.

The authority imposed several consumer‑protection obligations: within 90 days both operators must launch special low‑price packages for pensioners and students aged 18‑23; the cheapest offers must be sold at physical points as well as online; customers may switch to a cheaper plan at the end of a contract without penalties; any change in price, content or validity must be individually notified at least 30 days in advance.

Additional requirements mandate that any price increase be supported by documented cost analyses kept for five years, new packages must provide genuine differentiation, standard contracts will be pre‑reviewed by the authority, and number‑portability procedures must be clear and timely. Compliance will be monitored for one year, and failure to apply any measure will trigger statutory penalties for the two operators.