National Commission transfers final radio frequencies held by Ukrtelecom subsidiary to Vodafone Ukraine

The National Commission for the state regulation of electronic communications, radio frequency spectrum and postal services has transferred the last remaining radio frequency bands previously used by Ukrtelecom's mobile subsidiary TriMob in Kyiv to the country's second-largest mobile operator, Vodafone Ukraine.

"The National Commission for the state regulation of electronic communications, radio frequency spectrum and postal services approved the transfer of individual rights to use the radio frequency spectrum 1940.0 to 1945.0 and 2130.0 to 2135.0 with a bandwidth of 10 MHz in Kyiv from TriMob LLC to PrJSC Vodafone Ukraine," the commission said on its website following a meeting on Wednesday.

"Under the adopted decision, TriMob's license to use this spectrum for cellular radio communication has been terminated, and a new license will be issued to Vodafone Ukraine. This will contribute to more efficient spectrum management and further development of mobile communications in Ukraine," the commission said.

Vodafone Ukraine will use the frequency bands previously assigned to TriMob to provide electronic communications services. According to the commission's documentation, Vodafone is expected to fully utilize the spectrum between October and December 2025. The license will remain valid until December 13, 2025.

Vodafone Ukraine's press office told Interfax-Ukraine that the transfer marks a "logical continuation of longstanding cooperation between the operators: since 2016, most TriMob subscribers have been served through national roaming on the Vodafone Ukraine network."

The press service also said Vodafone has already been using the frequencies transferred by the national commission in Kyiv since 2023, based on a contract with TriMob and a relevant order from the National Center for Operations and Control.

As the mobile operator explained, "the transfer of usage rights simply formalized the current operational arrangement in the interest of all users."

"The frequency transfer will improve spectrum efficiency and strengthen network capacity, especially in Kyiv, where demand is high. For Vodafone and TriMob subscribers, nothing will change, they will continue using the familiar network, but with improved quality and connection stability," Vodafone Ukraine's press office said.

TriMob (formerly known as Utel), a subsidiary of Ukrtelecom, received Ukraine's first 3G license back in 2005. Its network was based on UMTS/HSDPA technology in the 2100 MHz band. In 2019, the company returned almost all its national 3G frequencies to the regulator and focused exclusively on providing services in Kyiv. Since 2020, TriMob held a license for the 1940 to 1945 and 2130 to 2135 MHz bands, used for 3G services in the capital.