Albania has some of the least affordable internet in the world, according to the Digital Quality of Life Index 2020 report by online security specialists Surf Shark. The overall affordability is measured by combining the affordability of the cheapest mobile and broadband plans in the country.
The report found that it takes on average 3 hours and 48 minutes of working time to afford the cheapest broadband internet and just 10 minutes to afford the cheapest mobile internet. This was the average across all countries but the report found that 75% have to work more than this to afford internet access.
The country fell way below the global average in terms of the inequality in internet affordability with countries like Guatemala, Columbia and Nigeria faring worse.
Despite this, Albania and other Balkan countries including Serbia, Bulgaria and Croatia had surprisingly high quality despite lower e-infrastructure. They all scored above average in this area.
The report looked at the average broadband download speed, the average mobile upload speed, and broadband and mobile stability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But when it comes to cybersecurity and the readiness of the government to deal with cyber threats, unfortunately, Albania fell short once again. It was beaten by Russia, Serbia and the Philippines in this factor as well as the protection of personal data of citizens.
Not surprisingly, European countries led the way in this sector with the UK, France and Lithuania topping the list of those with the highest e-security. The countries with the worst levels were Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Algeria.
Lastly, in terms of e-government and advancement in this field, Albania almost reached the global average but fell short by a couple of points. It was beaten by countries like Kenya and Vietnam but surpassed Montenegro and Iran.
The index analysed the state of the government’s online presence and their readiness to employ artificial intelligence technology. This, says Surf Shark, helps governments to minimize bureaucracy, reduce corruption, and increase the transparency of the public sector.
