Kyivstar and Starlink to introduce revolutionary Direct to Cell satellite communication in Ukraine
30 December 12:56
Kyivstar has signed an agreement with Starlink, a division of SpaceX, to launch Direct to Cell satellite communications in Ukraine. This is reported on the website of the Ukrainian mobile operator, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
According to the press release, this agreement will make Ukraine one of the first countries to have access to Starlink’s innovative Direct to Cell service, which will significantly increase the resilience of the national communications infrastructure.
Kyivstar is expected to launch Starlink Direct to Cell services with SMS and OTT messaging in the fourth quarter of 2025. The next stage will be voice and data services.
“Kyivstar has done a great job investing in 4G in Ukraine, expanding coverage to remote areas and improving the energy resilience of its network. This partnership once again demonstrates our strong commitment to Ukraine and will also significantly increase the resilience of our services through satellite technology,” said Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of VEON Group, Kyivstar’s parent company.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Kyivstar has made significant investments in the development of its 4G network, frequency spectrum expansion and energy independence. With access to Starlink Direct to Cell technology, Kyivstar subscribers will be able to have uninterrupted communication even if the landline network is unable to serve a certain area.
What else is known about Starlink Direct to Cell
SpaceX, as the world’s leading provider of launch services, leverages its extensive experience with spacecraft and on-orbit operations to deploy and manage the world’s most advanced constellation of satellites to provide connectivity around the world, including direct to most mobile devices. Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellites carry an advanced eNodeB modem that acts like a cell tower in space, providing network integration similar to a standard roaming partner. Thus, direct-to-cell provides connectivity even in the most remote regions.
Direct-to-cell works with existing LTE phones wherever the sky is visible. No changes to the hardware, firmware or special applications are required to use the service and ensure unimpeded access to text, voice and data.
The new service should be available anywhere in the world. But, according to experts, we should not expect that this Starlink technology will displace traditional cellular communication. According to Elon Musk, the issue is limited bandwidth. At least in the near future. It is worth recalling that Direct to Cell does not work indoors, meaning that the user must be “where you can see the sky”.
Starlink and Direct to Cell operate in conjunction with traditional cellular operators. In the United States, Musk’s company has reached an agreement with T-Mobile, and in Canada – with Rogers. There are partners in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, and other countries. Now he has a partner in Ukraine, Kyivstar.
