The three largest operators such as Kyivstar, lifecell and Vodafone Ukraine have submitted a joint statement on redistribution of 900 MHz band and separate applications for license renewal, which will allow reforming for the further LTE-900 implementation, to the NCCIR.
Previously, the 900 MHz band was fragmented and a large proportion of it was concentrated in one of the telecommunications operators, which did not allow to provide next-generation 4G services across Ukraine. Therefore, the joint appeal of operators helps to kick start the LTE-900 implementation throughout Ukraine.
What are the next steps?
- The Government shall amend the RFR Usage Plan and the amount of license fees for the RFR use.
- The NCCIR shall issue the appropriate licenses in the 900 MHz band to the operators.
- Operators begin deploying 4G networks using the 900 MHz band. According to the NCCIR’s decision adopted today, they can start from July 1 this year.
A plan of activities approved and regional distribution will make it possible to have quality 4G communication in every settlement with more than 2,000 inhabitants in 2 years. Within another two years, it will be available on all international and national highways.
We look forward to the progress, because it is an opportunity to gain full access to electronic administrative services, education and medicine as well as unlock business potential for citizens of small cities and villages.
It should be noted that the Intertelecom company has submitted the application for early implementation of the new LTE-900 radio technology to the NCCIR even earlier, especially given the fact that the spectrum it uses is not fragmented, so it will be able to start deploying its own LTE-900 network as from April this year.
Let us remind that the need to frequency redistribution was analyzed in detail by the BRDO in the research of the RFR market regulation and the ways to solve this problem were presented and discussed in June last year. Following this, in July, the President signed a Decree “On Some Measures to Improve Mobile Internet Access” approving a plan of measures for the introduction of the third- and fourth-generation mobile communications in the 790-960 MHz band. To implement these measures, a working group consisting of NCCIR and BRDO specialists as well as representatives of leading mobile operators, professional associations and government authorities was established as part of the NCCIR.
We are happy that our joint work is delivering results and we will soon be able to reduce the digital divide in the country!