Lifecell told how long it will be able to provide communication during blackouts
21 April 14:21
As of today, 89% of lifecell’s network across Ukraine has been re-equipped with new durable batteries and generators, which will allow the base station equipment to provide communication to subscribers even during 10-hour power outages. This was reported by the press service of lifecell, according to
At the same time, they clarified that this duration also depends on the load on the network and the time for a full recharge.
How does lifecell increase the energy independence of its network?
– In 14 regions of Ukraine, more than 90% of base stations can already support up to 10 hours of autonomous operation.
– Of these, 8 regions – Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kherson and Sumy – have already completed the energy modernization: 100% of base stations are equipped with a 10-hour power reserve in case of power outages.
– As of the beginning of April 2025, 37 thousand batteries have already been installed in different regions, including 20 thousand in January-March 2025.
– To comply with the orders of the National Center for Operational and Technical Management of Telecommunications Networks (NCM) to ensure the sustainability of networks from the beginning of blackouts, lifecell purchased 48 thousand lithium batteries to re-equip base stations throughout Ukraine.
– As a result of the modernization, the total amount of such backup power sources in the operator’s network in 2025 will be 199 times higher than in 2022.
– Investments in this area are approaching UAH 2 billion.
– lifecell also continues to expand its fleet of generators to ensure autonomous operation for 25% of the network during long-term power outages.
Lifecell also reported that it is simultaneously exploring the possibility of using alternative energy sources to ensure autonomous operation and backup of its base stations. Thus, in the fall of 2022, a pilot project was launched to use solar panels to power base stations in the southern region of Ukraine. The operator has recently started testing the power supply of the base station from an electric vehicle.
What are the requirements for operators to ensure grid sustainability?
Last summer, the National Center for Operational and Technical Management of Telecommunications Networks issued an order aimed at improving the quality of mobile communications services and Internet access in the event of a planned, emergency, unplanned and/or forced power outage of the electronic communications network infrastructure under martial law.
The fulfillment by electronic communication service providers of the tasks specified in the order of the NCC should create conditions for
– 100% of the equipment providing mobile communication and access to the Internet should be operational within 10 hours;
– 100% of the operational dispatch services that receive and process emergency calls to telephone numbers 101, 102, 103, 104 and a single emergency number 112 within 72 hours.
The order also obliges electronic communication service providers to provide the physical infrastructure of electronic communication networks through which they provide services with mobile power generators or battery packs for the first 72 hours of operation in the absence of electricity supply.
What is known about lifecell mobile operator
It is part of the DVL group of companies. As reported by DOU, in 2024, DVL Telecom announced the acquisition of lifecell mobile operator and Datagroup-Vola, a fixed-line and digital services provider.
DVL Telecom is a subsidiary of the French investment company NJJ Capital, owned by billionaire Xavier Niel.
DVL is an abbreviation of Datagroup, Volia, and Lifecell, which merged into one company after the deal was completed.
Lifecell’s network includes more than 10 thousand technology sites across the country with base stations.
“Kyivstar has strengthened the energy resilience of its network by more than three times
Kyivstar mobile operator reported in January this year that all its network facilities have a backup power supply – more than 65 thousand base stations located at technological sites throughout Ukraine. In particular, as of the beginning of January 2025, more than 197 thousand batteries were installed, and more than 2,700 generators support the operation of key infrastructure facilities of electronic communication networks.
Thus, as noted, in the event of prolonged blackouts, Kyivstar will provide continuous communication for at least three days for all critical network nodes, as well as for facilities important for the functioning of the country’s economy and security system, as determined by the National Security and Defense Council.
In 2025, Kyivstar plans to additionally install more than 1,000 powerful generators and more than 52,000 batteries.
Vodafone is modernizing its network on a large scale
As part of the modernization announced by the company, base stations are being connected using xPON technology, which already provides ultra-fast home Internet in apartment buildings, and will now make mobile communications even more stable and faster.
The first stage will involve switching 140 base stations in Kyiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv from radio relay to optical connection. The first 40 sites are already successfully operating on optics.
