Testing of Starlink Direct to Cell satellite communication open to all Kyivstar subscribers in Ukraine
Testing of Starlink Direct to Cell satellite communication technology, which allows you to exchange SMS messages in the absence of mobile communication, is now available to all subscribers of the largest Ukrainian mobile operator Kyivstar in Ukraine, company's president and CEO Oleksandr Komarov said during a briefing on Monday.
"Today is the first day we opened the technology. As of this hour, about 200,000 Kyivstar customers have registered. 16,000 SMS messages have already been sent," Komarov emphasized during a briefing, the Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reports.
The company’s CEO added that the service will be free of charge for Kyivstar subscribers within the customer’s purchased service package.
Currently, the technology is available for Android smartphones, but communication is underway to further expand it to iOS devices, the Kyivstar president clarified.
"I hope that by Christmas we will be able to roll it out for the iOS system as well. But I cannot give a precise answer to this question," the CEO stressed.
In a comment to the agency, Komarov noted that there are currently no obligations to transmit SMS via the satellite network in real time.
"We assume there may be a delay of 10-20 seconds, or there may be no delay at all… We are monitoring the parameters — including the sending speed and the continuity of the connection," Komarov noted.
He emphasized that the use of this technology will help eliminate the "white spots" on Ukraine’s mobile coverage map. According to him, currently about 75-80% of the country’s territory is covered by the terrestrial mobile network, while Kyivstar’s network covers 96.5% of the population.
Chair of the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications and Postal Services, Lilia Malion, stated at the briefing that Starlink Direct to Cell cannot be deployed without extensive testing, as it is necessary to ensure the technology’s full capability to perform its functions and not interfere with other Ukrainian operators or operators in neighboring countries.
According to her, the conference will define many technical conditions regarding the convergence of satellite and mobile networks. It will also lay the groundwork for the regulatory framework.
Starlink Direct to Cell (direct satellite connection with a smartphone) is a technology that will allow Ukrainians with 4G smartphones to connect directly to satellites in case the terrestrial network signal is lost. According to Kyivstar, more than 16 million of its subscribers already have smartphones that support this technology. About half of these phones have the necessary settings for optimal operation, while the other half will also function but less efficiently.
