Kyivstar mobile operator has switched on 266 new 4G base stations, improving communications in 1,260 settlements in 18 regions of Ukraine, where 632,000 people live.
According to the press service of the operator, in particular, 4G coverage in Zhytomyr region extended by 382 settlements, in Khmelnytsky region by 245, in Vinnytsia region by 236, Lviv region by 170, and in Chernihiv region by 51.
Kyivstar notes that the increase in the 4G coverage area has become possible as a result of the use of frequencies in the 900 MHz range, which allows mobile operators to quickly reach sparsely populated areas with communications. To this end, in June 2020, mobile operators began to exchange radio frequencies in the 900 MHz range.
The company plans to provide access to 4G for 90% of the Ukrainian population in two years.
Mobile communications operator Kyivstar is updating the prepaid tariffs Communication Unlim, Fun Unlim and Video Unlim, doubling the number of megabytes of Internet and minutes for calls to other networks.
The press service of the company said on Tuesday, in particular, in the tariff Communication Unlim subscribers will receive 60 minutes for calls to other networks and abroad, and 6,000 MB of mobile Internet (earlier this tariff included 30 minutes to other networks and 3,000 MB of the Internet). For those who do not need mobile Internet, the tariff has the No megabytes option.
The Fund Unlim tariff now includes 120 minutes for calls to other networks and abroad, 12,000 MB of mobile Internet and even more unlimited applications for entertainment.
For subscribers who choose the Video Unlim tariff, Kyivstar now gives 180 minutes for calls to other networks and abroad, and 18,000 MB of mobile Internet. All tariffs also include a free subscription to the Doctor online telemedicine application.
The operator said that all prepaid subscribers who will switch to one of the specified tariffs from September 1 can use the new conditions. This can be done, including by subscribers with the previous Unlim tariffs.
Since the beginning of 2020, Kyivstar has connected more than 6,000 settlements to high-speed mobile Internet. The operator plans to provide 90% of the Ukrainian population before July 2022 with access to 4G networks.
Kyivstar and 1+1 media note a 35% increase in activity on the Kyivstar TV platform in the first half of 2020.
According to the press service of the mobile operator, while the growth of the audience interest in January-March was gradual, the activity sharply increased by 20% in April.
The demand gradually returned to the pre-quarantine level in June and July.
According to the data provided, the main preference of viewers is given to national TV channels of general interest. The three leaders are 1+1, Ukraine, and ICTV. Among the thematic TV channels, the most watched are movie channels (TV 1000 Action, VIP Comedy, ViP Megahit HD), for kids (PLUS, Nick Jr., Nicktoons), and educational channels (Viasat History, Viasat Explore, Discovery Channel).
The video library of the platform includes 10,000 films and series among which the leaders in terms of viewing are Ukrainian-made films Black Raven and Swingers 2. Besides, such foreign films as The Secret Life of Pets 2, How to Train Your Dragon 3, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Faster, Suicide Squad became the most popular ones.
Among the TV shows and series, the leading content belongs to Ukrainian production: The World Inside Out, Daddy, Blind Marriage, Cat Trap.
“We are happy with the development of our common with 1+1 media product. If our colleagues are in charge of filling the platform with content, we provide our subscribers with the service of connection and configuration, unique advantages in the form of favorable tariffs, and promotional offers. Besides, during the quarantine period we opened access to all TV channels and VOD content to all users irrespective of the chosen tariff,” the press service quoted the head of Kyivstar fixed product and pricing unit, Serhiy Sukhoruk.
As reported, 1+1 media and Kyivstar launched the joint service Kyivstar TV with access for subscribers of any Internet providers in December 2019.
The mobile operator Kyivstar in July and early August connected 741 settlements, the territory where 380,000 people live, to the 4G network.
According to the press service of the operator, in particular, settlements in Volyn, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Rivne and Ternopil regions were connected.
“These are mainly remote villages, where 20 to several thousand people live. It became possible to connect these settlements to high-speed mobile Internet thanks to the use of 900 MHz radio frequencies,” the company said.
Kyivstar also noted that in July 2020 the mobile operators of Ukraine began to exchange radio frequencies in the 900 MHz range.
Over the two years since the launch of 4G, more than 11 million of our subscribers have already used the capabilities of the new communications technology. For Ukrainian citizens living in rural areas to also get access to 4G services, Kyivstar plans to invest up to UAH 5 billion in the coming years,” Kyivstar President Oleksandr Komarov said.
According to the data provided, today Kyivstar’s 4G network covers more than 12,000 large and small settlements. The company plans to provide access to high-speed mobile Internet for 90% of the Ukrainian population in two years.
Kyivstar mobile operator has opened the 500th communication outlet in Illintsi, Vinnytsia region.
The company’s press service said on Friday that Kyivstar plans to develop its retail chain in small residential locations and some residential areas in big cities this year. Such a strategy is conditioned by the decision to get closer to the customers and make its services more accessible.
The mobile operators plans to extend its retail chain to 544 outlets by the end of 2020.
“We have resumed work of all 500 outlets. The number of customers and the quantity of services are growing. Around 645,000 subscribers addressed Kyivstar’s outlets in March and April, which were working in a special regime, and in May-June this index was more than 700,000 visitors,” the press service cited Retail Sales Director of Kyivstar Olha Smyslenova.
Around 14 million subscribers address Kyivstar’s outlets annually, most of them need consultation or service. In 2019, the service of replacing Sim card with Usim card was provided 2.5 million times.
Kyivstar is the largest Ukrainian telecommunications operator. It provides communications and data services based on a wide range of mobile and fixed-line technologies, including 3G. By the end of 2018, 26.4 million mobile subscribers and about 0.9 million fixed-line Internet customers used its services.
The shareholder of Kyivstar is the international group VEON (formerly VimpelCom Ltd.). Shares of the group are listed on NASDAQ Stock Exchange (New York).
The memorandum of intent for the joint use of the passive and active infrastructure of their mobile networks has been signed by the mobile communications operators Kyivstar and Vodafone Ukraine.
According to a joint press release of the companies issued on Thursday, sharing telecommunications infrastructure will enable the parties to accelerate the deployment of 4G networks in rural areas and on highways.
The memorandum takes into account the use of not only communication channels, but also towers, as well as other equipment. Cooperation using telecom infrastructure will enable operators to avoid duplication in the process of building networks, which will accelerate the provision of access to 4G/LTE services for subscribers living in sparsely populated areas.
Now Kyivstar and Vodafone Ukraine are identifying mobile network sections and settlements for sharing infrastructure. The operators plan to begin practical implementation of the memorandum in November-December 2020 after the approval of the project by government bodies.
“Partnership and cooperation in the use of mobile networks will allow the operators to accelerate the bridging of the digital gap between megacities and villages, and to fulfill their investment plans despite the decrease in market income. We proposed that all mobile operators of Ukraine join the memorandum,” Kyivstar President Alexander Komarov said.
He said that the memorandum is open to all players who want to develop new mobile technologies on mutually beneficial conditions.
“Such unbiased and seemingly insurmountable circumstances as lockdown and the lack of roaming revenues could make adjustments to the implementation of coverage. But we understand the importance of building infrastructure as soon as possible to ensure equal access to digital services. Sharing networks will make our investment more effective,” CEO of Vodafone Ukraine Olha Ustinova said.
In her opinion, this will also give the operator the opportunity not only to adhere to the obligations assumed for coverage, but also to bring high-speed Internet to small villages with a population of less than 2,000 people.
For its part, the National Commission for Communications and Informatization Regulation (NCCR) also welcomes cooperation between operators in building networks.
“We are pleased that Vodafone Ukraine supported this idea of the NCCR. We welcome cooperation between operators, in particular in building networks,” Chairman of the commission Oleksandr Zhyvotovsky said, expressing the hope that other operators will also join the memorandum and the process of mutually beneficial cooperation.
According to him, active sharing is an effective way to optimize the costs of building and maintaining networks and quickly covering the territory of Ukraine with a high-quality signal and mobile Internet access and fulfilling licensing conditions in the 900 MHz band.
The signing of the memorandum was supported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
In accordance with the decree of the President of Ukraine on some measures to improve access to mobile Internet, mobile operators should provide 4G communications to settlements with a population of 2,000 or more, as well as major roads in the coming years.
