Albania is preparing the ground for a broader expansion of 5G networks and very high-capacity digital infrastructure through a technical study that will also include the design and implementation of a 5G pilot project.
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The estimated value of the contract is around €1.4 million.
One of the main components of the assignment will be a study examining the use of 5G technology in “smart communities”, drawing on practices and experience from the European Union.
The selected contractor will not only prepare the study but will also be responsible for designing and implementing a pilot project aimed at testing concrete applications of 5G technology in Albania.
Tirana could become a 5G smart city testbed
EU program documents identify a potential “5G Smart City” solution for Tirana among the scenarios to be examined.
Under such a model, 5G connectivity could support a wide range of urban services, including smart lighting and parking, traffic monitoring, air-quality monitoring, public transportation, education, healthcare and other public services.
The pilot project is expected to provide an opportunity to move beyond theoretical planning and test how high-speed, low-latency connectivity can be integrated into real public services.
For Tirana, this could mean using 5G infrastructure not simply to provide faster mobile internet but as part of a broader digital infrastructure supporting connected urban systems.
Mapping Albania’s broadband infrastructure
The planned consultancy will also examine the current capacity of Albania’s broadband networks.
The contractor will develop a methodology for the geographical mapping of Very High Capacity Networks (VHCN), including fiber-optic infrastructure and 5G networks.
The study will also identify existing limitations and obstacles affecting the expansion of these networks across the country.
This component is particularly important because the expansion of 5G depends on more than mobile antennas alone. High-capacity fiber infrastructure is a critical part of the wider network needed to support increasing data traffic and advanced digital services.
Aligning Albania’s rules with EU requirements
Another component of the project will focus on Albania’s technical and regulatory framework.
The consultant will assess how the country’s existing framework can be adapted to EU requirements concerning gigabit infrastructure and electronic communications networks.
The objective is therefore not limited to determining where 5G could be deployed. The project is also expected to establish what technical, regulatory and infrastructure conditions Albania needs in order to expand fiber and next-generation mobile networks.
In practical terms, the study is expected to provide an assessment of Albania’s current broadband capacity, identify technical and regulatory requirements for expanding fiber and 5G infrastructure, and establish how specific technological applications could be tested through the pilot project.
Part of a €44 million EU digital program
The 5G initiative forms part of the broader “EU for Digital Economy and Society 2024–2027” program, which has an estimated overall value of €44 million.
Of that amount, €30 million is financed by the European Union.
The broader program is designed to support Albania’s digital transformation and bring its digital infrastructure and regulatory environment closer to European standards.
For Albania, the planned 5G study and pilot project could therefore represent an important step toward the next stage of digital infrastructure development — one in which 5G is increasingly viewed not merely as a telecommunications upgrade, but as infrastructure for connected cities, public services and the wider digital economy.