5G communication is already working in Kyiv

Testing of fifth-generation mobile communication has officially started in Kyiv. After Lviv, Kharkiv and Borodyanka, the capital became the fourth city in Ukraine where users got access to the 5G network. So far, it is only a pilot launch, but it will be the basis for the future large-scale implementation of the new technology throughout the country.

According to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, almost one and a half million subscribers have already managed to test the previous 5G pilot projects. The department notes that the interest in the new technology has turned out to be much higher than initial expectations: operators record an increase in the volume of transferred data, and the share of smartphones with 5G support continues to increase.

At the same time, it is not worth waiting for a mass launch throughout Ukraine. Due to security requirements, the technology is being developed in stages, and full implementation will be possible only after the end of martial law.

Kyiv has connected to 5G: so far only in test mode

To date, the fifth generation network operates only at certain sites in the capital. The main coverage area is located in the city center – from Maidan Nezalezhnosti to Bessarabska Square. In addition, each of the mobile operators deployed their own test areas, where their subscribers can already use the new network.

As the Ministry of Digital Affairs explains, this approach allows not only to turn on the equipment, but to check its operation in conditions as close to reality as possible. Specialists evaluate the stability of the connection, the load on the infrastructure and the quality of service to users, after which they make a decision on further expansion of the coverage.

During the first tests, the transfer speed reached an average of about 500 Mbps, and in some scenarios it exceeded 1 Gbps. However, the main feature of the new network is not so much speed, as much lower signal delay and the ability to serve a large number of simultaneously connected devices.

What users need to connect

For most subscribers, the transition to the new standard will be as simple as possible. If the smartphone supports operation in fifth generation networks, and the user is in the 5G range, it is enough to activate the corresponding mode in the device settings.

There is no need to replace any SIM cards.

At the same time, experts remind about one feature of modern smartphones. When power saving mode is turned on, many devices automatically disable 5G support, since working on the new network requires more energy. Therefore, users may not see the 5G icon even if there is coverage.

If the smartphone supports only 4G or earlier communication standards, no changes will occur — the device will continue to work in the usual networks.

5G and rising tariffs

Almost immediately after the announcement of the launch of the new network, users had a natural question: will they have to pay more for faster Internet.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation assures that the transition to 5G by itself does not affect the cost of mobile communication. Owners of compatible devices will be able to use the new network within the framework of current tariff plans without purchasing additional services or special packages.

At the same time, the department clarifies that the state does not regulate the tariff policy of operators. However, during the preparation of the pilot project, the issue of maintaining the usual cost of services was repeatedly discussed with mobile companies, and all market participants confirmed that there are no plans for automatic price increases due to the advent of 5G.

Ukraine is in no hurry with mass implementation

Despite the successful results of the first tests, the transition of the entire country to the fifth generation communication is still postponed.

The reason is not related to the technical capabilities of the operators, but to national security. Before full-scale launch, a comprehensive equipment check must be carried out to ensure that the operation of the new base stations does not cause radio interference to military communications systems and equipment of the Defense Forces.

That is why a long pilot phase is currently being implemented, in the framework of which experts collect network operation statistics in various conditions — from small settlements to large cities with buildings.

According to representatives of the Ministry of Digital, Ukraine cannot afford to wait for the end of the war to start implementing new technology only after that. Therefore, tests are already ongoing, and the accumulated experience will significantly accelerate the large-scale deployment of the network after the end of martial law.

Odesa will be the next city

After the launch in Kyiv, the Ministry of Digital Transformation intends to expand the pilot project to Odesa.

Today, more than 300 base stations of the fifth generation are already operating throughout Ukraine. At the same time, the geography of testing is selected in such a way as to check the operation of the network in as many different conditions as possible: in small communities, large metropolises, areas with high-rise buildings and places with a high concentration of users.

The experience of Kharkiv, where the pilot project was one of the first to start, is illustrative. In five months, the number of base stations increased approximately two and a half times, and the coverage area increased significantly, which confirms the possibility of gradual scaling of the technology.

Changes after transition to 5G

Although most users perceive 5G exclusively as faster mobile Internet, the possibilities of the new technology are much broader.

The maximum theoretical transfer speed can reach 10 Gbps — ten times more than fourth-generation networks. Even more important is the signal delay reduction of about one millisecond. Thanks to this, cloud games, augmented and virtual reality services, remote equipment control systems and other applications that require real-time data exchange work almost instantly.

In addition, the fifth generation network is designed to connect up to a million devices per square kilometer without significant loss of communication quality. It is this feature that makes the foundation of 5G for the development of unmanned transport, smart cities, telemedicine, industrial automation and the Internet of Things.

Interest in the technology continues to grow

Statistics of operators show that Ukrainians are actively switching to using the fifth generation network where it is available.

For example, in the lifecell network, over the past five months, the volume of traffic transmitted via 5G has increased by 75%, and the number of simultaneous connections has increased by 35%. On average, users consume about 3.2 TB of data through the next-generation network every day, and the maximum recorded transfer speed has reached 1.5 Gbps.

At the same time, the park of compatible devices is also growing. Currently, about 34% of smartphones in the lifecell network support 5G, and in Kyiv this indicator has already reached 43%. According to the operator, it is the high share of modern devices that will allow the number of users of the new network to increase quickly enough with coverage expansion.