Kyivstar receives permission to test Direct to Cell satellite technology

The largest Ukrainian telecommunications operator Kyivstar has received permission from the National Commission for State Regulation in the Sphere of Electronic Communications to conduct tests of Direct to Cell (D2C) satellite technology.

"During the testing, the first studies of the operation of SpaceX Direct to Cell technology will be conducted, in particular the possibility of receiving text messages on 4G smartphones in Ukraine," the company said in a press release on Wednesday.

Kyivstar notes that it is the first electronic communications operator in Europe to begin implementing a new format of direct satellite communication with a smartphone, along with the United States, Australia, Japan and New Zealand.

The company recalls that thanks to Direct to Cell it plans to provide communication in the so-called "white spots," that is, regions without traditional terrestrial mobile coverage, in particular in hard-to-reach mountainous and rural areas. This is of particular importance in war conditions, when the infrastructure may be damaged or there is no power supply.

It is noted that at the initial stage of implementation, the technology will allow subscribers to send text messages: 4G/LTE users' phones will directly connect to a satellite in orbit without the need for additional equipment or software. The technology will work in open areas – with direct visibility of the sky.

"With this step, we confirm our technological leadership and are proud to be among the first in the world to launch such an innovation... Our task at the testing stage is to take into account all technical aspects and make the service as convenient and accessible as possible for subscribers," Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov said in the release.

It is noted that the company's specialists will begin the first beta testing of the service in the summer of 2025 in certain regions of Ukraine, and wider access in test mode for subscribers is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Kyivstar said the first registration of the Kyivstar SIM card in the satellite network was successful in the United States, in the Starlink laboratory. This allowed us to check the compatibility of the networks and confirm the technical readiness for pilot tests in Ukraine.

At the end of 2024, Kyivstar was the first in Europe to sign an agreement with Starlink, a division of SpaceX, to begin the implementation of Direct to Cell satellite communication in Ukraine.

As of March 2025, Kyivstar served about 22.7 million mobile subscribers and over 1.1 million Home Internet subscribers. The company provides services using a wide range of mobile and fixed technologies, including 4G, Big Data, Cloud solutions, cyber defense services, digital TV, etc. and has declared investments in new telecom technologies during 2023-2027 of $1 billion.