A step towards 5G: Vodafone switches base stations to optical connection
1 April 10:56
Vodafone has launched a large-scale network modernization, connecting base stations using xPON technology, which already provides ultra-fast home Internet in apartment buildings and will now make mobile communications even more stable and faster. This was reported by Vodafone, according to Komersant ukrainskyi.
The first stage will see 140 base stations in Kyiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv switch from radio relay to optical connection. The first 40 sites are already successfully operating on optics.
The company emphasized that Vodafone was the first operator in Ukraine to implement this advanced technology in mobile networks. They called the transition to xPON a “strategic step into the future”.
“It not only immediately improves the quality of communication, but also creates the foundation for the development of 5G and even 6G technologies,” Vodafone emphasizes.
What the new technology promises to consumers
The transition to xPON will allow us to quickly increase the capacity of base stations and ensure stable mobile Internet speeds even with a significant increase in traffic. This is especially important for densely populated cities where the network load is high and consumption continues to grow rapidly.
The transition to xPON will ensure consistently high Internet speeds even during peak periods.
In the future, this should ensure high quality video calls, comfortable online gaming and streaming without delays, even during peak hours. In addition, optical connectivity will make the network less vulnerable to weather conditions and more resistant to blackouts, as it requires fewer additional devices that require alternative power supply.
The xPON network already supports 1 Gbps, and in the future, due to scaling, it will allow to support speeds of 10 Gbps and higher. In this case, it will be enough to upgrade the active equipment without replacing the cable infrastructure.
What is xPON technology and how is it being implemented in Ukraine?
PON (Passive Optical Network) is a modern technology for high-speed and energy-efficient data transmission using a passive optical line.
PON uses significantly less energy to keep Internet networks running during power outages. Such providers can provide the Internet to more than 50% of consumers within 72 hours.
In Ukraine, as of November 2024, more than 3,700 providers provided Internet connection services. More than 2000 of them offered access via xPON technology.
One of the tools used to disseminate information about xPON was the Internet map during power outages, which the Ministry of Digital Transformation and LUN City launched more than a year ago. It allows users to quickly check what technologies the provider at their address uses or find one that uses xPON.
Initially, the map was launched for providers in Kyiv, Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa regions, but later it was scaled up to the entire country.
As a reminder, in 2025, mobile operators will start shutting down their 3G networks. This will free up frequencies for 4G, which in turn will provide faster and better services for users.
