Ukraine's leading mobile operator Kyivstar has signed an agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink to introduce direct-to-cell satellite connectivity, Kyivstar's parent company VEON said on Monday (December 30).

Kyiv

Ukraine's leading mobile operator, Kyivstar, has entered an agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink to introduce direct-to-cell satellite connectivity. The announcement came from Kyivstar's parent company, VEON. The new arrangement is set to deliver phone signals directly from space to smartphones, enhancing communication capabilities in the region. 

The service will involve satellites equipped with modems functioning like cell phone towers, set to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2025. Initially, it will provide messaging functionality, with plans to expand voice and data services later. Financial aspects of the deal haven't been disclosed.

Starlink, owned by SpaceX, is already providing critical internet services in Ukraine, especially significant amid ongoing military conflict. The company has previously established similar direct-to-cell service agreements in the US and seven other countries, including Japan and New Zealand. Ukraine will be one of the global frontrunners in adopting this technology and the first conflict zone for its implementation, as noted on Starlink's website.

Russia has intensified efforts to disrupt the connection between Starlink satellites and ground terminals in Ukraine over the past two years. Concurrently, Starlink's owner, Musk, is becoming increasingly involved with the strategies of the incoming Trump administration concerning Ukraine.



Starlink to roll out direct-to-cell services in Ukraine

A phone signal beams directly from space to smartphones is expected to arrive in Ukraine. The country's leading mobile operator Kivstar has signed an agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink to introduce direct-to-cell satellite connectivity. The news was announced by Kivstar's parent company Vion on Monday. Direct-to-cell services are connected to satellites equipped with modems that function like a cell phone tower. The service, with messaging functionality, should be operational in the fourth quarter of 2025, the telecoms group said. It will reportedly expand voice and data services at a later date. Financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed. SpaceX-owned Starlink already provides critical internet to war-torn Ukraine and its military. The satellite broadband firm has struck deals with local providers for direct-to-cell services in the US and seven other countries, including Japan and New Zealand. Ukraine will be one of the first countries in the world with direct-to-cell connectivity and the first conflict zone where Starlink will roll out this technology, its website says. Russia has ramped up its efforts to jam signals between Starlink satellites and ground terminals in Ukraine for two years. The agreement comes as Musk, Starlink's owner, grows more engaged with the incoming Trump administration in the US and its Ukraine strategy.

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