Telecommunications in Ukraine

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Telecommunications is one of the most modern, diverse and fast-growing sectors in the economy of Ukraine. Unlike the country's dominating export industries, telecommunications, as well as the related Internet sector, remain largely unaffected by the global economic crisis, ranking high in European and global rankings.

The industry also leads in demonopolisation of Ukraine's economy as Ukrtelekom (once the country's sole telephone provider) was successfully privatised, and is now losing its retail market share to independent, foreign-invested private providers.

The entire population of Ukraine now has telephone and/or mobile phone connection;[lower-alpha 1] Internet access is universally available in cities and main transport corridors, expanding into smaller settlements. In 2025 the communications sector recorded 16.5% revenue growth to UAH 178.6 billion despite wartime infrastructure damage and power outages.[1]

Ukraine's telecommunication development plan emphasises further improving domestic trunk lines, international connections, and the mobile cellular system. The sector has shown resilience through satellite backhaul and direct-to-cell services.

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, telecommunications were supported by the Starlink satellite service.[2][3]

Internet audience

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As of January 2025 Ukraine had 31.5 million internet users, equating to 82.4% penetration of the population.[4] Mobile broadband dominates access; fixed broadband subscriptions stood at 19.68 per 100 people in 2023.[5] Usage remains high for social media, digital government services such as Diia, and e-commerce, even under wartime conditions and blackouts.

International data network

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Two new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fibre-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three Ukrainian links have been installed in the fibre-optic Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fibre-optic submarine cable and by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems.

Ukraine maintains multiple redundant fibre-optic routes to the European Union via Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. Since the 2022 invasion, Starlink satellite backhaul and, from November 2025, direct-to-cell integration have provided redundancy against attacks on terrestrial infrastructure.[6]

Fixed telephone network

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Telephones - land lines in use: 1.43 million (2023)[7]

Upon gaining independence from the USSR in 1991, Ukraine inherited an analogue PSTN telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in many places in disrepair; meanwhile demand overwhelmed the supply with more than 3.5 million household applications for telephone lines pending. Telephone density has since risen and the domestic trunk system is being improved; about one-third of Ukraine's networks are digital, and the majority of regional centres now have digital switching stations. Improvements in local networks and local exchanges continue to lag.

Several independent fixed network providers established themselves in the country's retail market, although Ukrtelecom still dominates it. Fixed-line usage has collapsed as mobile and VoIP solutions prevail.

Mobile phone networks

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The mobile cellular telephone system's expansion has slowed, largely due to market saturation and the effects of the Russian invasion, including population displacement, loss of territory and infrastructure damage. Total active subscriptions stood at 47.5 million as of mid-2025, equal to about 119% of the estimated population and down from a pre-war peak of about 60.8 million.[8]

Telephones - mobile cellular: 47.5 million (mid-2025)

Mobile phone operators

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Rank Operator Technology Subscribers
(in millions) 		Ownership MCC / MNC
1 Kyivstar
Including previous Beeline Ukraine network 		900/1800 MHz GSM (GPRS, EDGE)
2100 MHz UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+
900/1800/2100/2300/2600 MHz LTE, LTE-A
VoLTE 		22.4 (mid-2025) VEON (Nasdaq-listed) 25503 and 25502
2 Vodafone
Formerly MTS Ukraine 		900/1800 MHz GSM (GPRS, EDGE)
2100 MHz UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+
900/1800/2100/2600 MHz LTE, LTE-A 		15.4 (2025) NEQSOL Holding 25501
3 Lifecell
Formerly Life 		900/1800 MHz GSM (GPRS, EDGE)
2100 MHz UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+, 3C-HSDPA
900/1800/2100/2600 MHz LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro 		about 10 (2025 estimate) DVL Group 25506
4 Intertelecom 800 MHz CDMA2000, CDMA2000 EV-DO rel.0, rev. A, rev. B
The gradual shutdown of the network began in many regions in 2020. 		less than 1 (2025 phase-out) Odinaco Ltd (49%), Viktor Gushan (35.7%) 25504
5 TriMob 2100 MHz UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA
Own 3G network in Kyiv city centre only. Free 2G/3G roaming on Vodafone network available. 		about 0.2 (2025) Ukrtelecom 25507
6 PEOPLEnet 800 MHz CDMA2000, CDMA2000 EV-DO
Network in Dnipropetrovsk region only. 		less than 0.1 (2025) Telesystemy Ukrainy 25521

The subscriber base contracted from pre-2022 peaks due to the Russian invasion, emigration and loss of territory in occupied regions. Kyivstar held about 47% market share in mid-2025.[8] In January 2026, Kyivstar launched Ukraine's first 5G pilot in Lviv; the company said a nationwide rollout remained contingent on the end of the war.[9]

Mobile phone manufacturers

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The following companies in Ukraine are manufacturing mobile phones:

  • Borton
  • Impression Electronics[10]

Radio broadcast stations

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Main article: List of radio stations in Ukraine

Several hundred licensed FM and AM radio stations operate nationwide.

Internet in Ukraine

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Main article: Internet in Ukraine
  • Country code - .ua
  • Internet users: 31.5 million (January 2025)
  • Internet penetration: 82.4% (January 2025)

History

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Russian invasion of Ukraine

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Main article: Starlink satellite services in Ukraine

Ukraine's military and government rapidly became dependent on SpaceX's Starlink satellite services during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as Russia attacked key infrastructure including telecommunications infrastructure, and Ukraine was experiencing significant problems with Internet access.[11][12][13]

Satellite internet from SpaceX had key telecommunications role such as in the Siege of Azovstal (15 April–20 May), which helped Ukrainian defenders to resist Russian troops in Mariupol.[14]

While military and government use of Starlink has been the most important aspect of opening Ukraine to low-altitude satellite internet services in early 2022, civilians are also heavily using the technology "to keep in touch with the outside world and tell loved ones that they are alive." During the war, Ukrainians can use Starlink terminals without paying the usual monthly subscription fee.[15]

To pay for the cost of Starlink in Ukraine, SpaceX donated services valued at an estimated $100 million,[16] while an unknown amount was secured by several European countries and the US government.[17][2] In June 2023, The Pentagon communicated that the Department of Defense signed a contract with SpaceX's Starlink to buy those satellite services for Ukraine.[2]

The use of Starlink in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine was however restricted by SpaceX, according to Ukrainian officials.[13]

In November 2025 Kyivstar became the first European mobile operator to launch Starlink direct-to-cell satellite service for 4G smartphones, initially enabling SMS with voice and data planned for 2026.[6] By March 2026, Kyivstar said 5 million customers had connected to the Kyivstar-SpaceX network and more than 7 million SMS messages had been transmitted through the satellite network.[18] More than 50,000 traditional Starlink terminals remain deployed in Ukraine.[6]

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ Except for a few very remote and sparsely inhabited settlements.

References

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  1. ↑ "Communications sector revenues in Ukraine grow by 16.5% in 2025". Interfax-Ukraine. 3 April 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Stone, Mike; Roulette, Joey (2023-06-01). "SpaceX's Starlink wins Pentagon contract for satellite services to Ukraine". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  3. ↑ Elon Musk says SpaceX's Starlink satellites active over Ukraine after request from embattled country's leaders Archived 2022-02-27 at ghostarchive.org (Error: unknown archive URL), The Independent (26 February 2022)
  4. ↑ "Digital 2025: Ukraine". DataReportal. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people) – Ukraine". World Bank. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Starlink's direct-to-cell service launches in Ukraine in European first". Reuters. 24 November 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Ukraine Number of Subscriber Fixed Line". CEIC. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Ukraine's Telecom Market, Explained". TeleGeography. 16 September 2025. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "Kyivstar launches first 5G pilot in Lviv as Ukraine enters fifth year of war". Reuters. 12 January 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "Производство". impression.ua. Archived from the original on 2020-09-03. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  11. ↑ "@elonmusk while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand". Twitter. 26 February 2022. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  12. ↑ Sabbagh, Dan (2023-02-09). "Fury in Ukraine as Elon Musk's SpaceX limits Starlink use for drones". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "How Elon Musk's satellites have saved Ukraine and changed warfare". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on 2023-09-23. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  14. ↑ Landry, Carole (2022-07-25). "Inside the Azovstal Siege". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2022-10-15. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
  15. ↑ Antoniuk, Daryna (3 September 2022). "How Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet keeps Ukraine online". Kyiv Independent. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  16. ↑ Bajak, Frank (9 February 2023). "Musk deputy's words on Starlink 'weaponization' vex Ukraine". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  17. ↑ Brodkin, Jon (2022-12-20). "Ukraine to get 10,000 more Starlink antennas; funding problems are "resolved"". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 2023-05-19. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "Kyivstar ranks among top global providers of Starlink Mobile satellite connectivity with 5 million total users". GlobeNewswire. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
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Industry-specific media

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  • Watcher: (in Ukrainian) - Ukrainian Internet business and marketing online newspaper
  • ProIT (in Russian) - Ukrainian IT industry online newspaper
  • AIN (in Russian) - Ukrainian IT industry online newspaper

Other

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Template:Ukraine topics Template:Telecommunications

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