Full Name of Registry: Autoriteti i Komunikimeve Elektronike dhe Postare – AKEP
Contact details (address, phone, fax, general enquiries):
Chairman:
Mr. Piro XHIXHO,
Str. Abdi Toptani, Torre Drin, Flor IX, Tirana,
ALBANIA.
Tel: +355 4 2232131,
Fax: +355 4 2259106.
Founding date: 1998
Registration Model (Registry/Registrar system; Direct registrations; Both): Direct Registration.
Number of domain names: 14000
History: The first set-up of ccTLD.al has started in 21st of April 1992 with the initiative of University of Tirana, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Informatics. Technically it was set-up from CNUCE, Pisa – Italy, Francesco Gennai. The real profile, as a registry was created in 1998 when TRE become the "Sponsoring Organization" and defined the rules and procedures on which the domain names where delegated to users.
The second important step which has a big influence on the domain name administration is the definition of a new administration policy draft document prepared and published on the AKEP web site www.akep.al for public consultation. The new document is a gathering experience from the other well developed registries and completes the first step on liberalizing (any legal institution/organization resident in the territory of Republic of Albania have the right to register any domain name they want) the delegation of domain names under .al and sub domains .com.al, .gov.al, .mil.al, .org.al, .edu.al dhe .net.al.
The last but not least investment made is the setting up of a new DNS system for ccTLD.al and the transfer of the "master server" from Pisa – Italy to AKEP – Albania. The master server is transferred to Albania. The last step, for now is the implementation of the software of Administration and management of the names. And implementation of the Registrars.
In 2010 the liberalization of the registration for .AL domains was realized. Based on the changes made in the regulatory policy the registration is possible for companies and individuals which are Albanian citizens and those (individuals) who has the Albanian nationality. The cost of registration is 2000 ALL for 2 years (approx. 20 USD / 2 years). The transfer and technical modification is free of charge.
In 2013 was concluded the liberalization of registration for all the interested parties. Now even foreign companies or individuals can register .al domains.
The registration under .com.al, net.al, org.al, net.al is still restricted to Albanian Companies only.
The Registry/Registrar system was implemented and the first Registrars was accredited by the end of 2013.
AKEP has accredited 5 Registrars and main condition is that only Albanian Companies can be accredited as .al Registrars.
In the incoming future we will see the possibilities to allow foreign companies to be accredited as .al Registrar.