The Verkhovna Rada supported a bill that would increase internet speeds in Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved Bill No. 12094 in its second reading, aimed at improving the quality of mobile communications and internet connection stability in the country. 263 members of parliament voted in favor of the bill, according to parliamentarian Oleksandr Fediyenko.

What is the law about?

The law updates the current “On Electronic Communications” and brings Ukrainian legislation closer to European standards. It is based on EU Directives 2018/1972 and 2015/2120, which regulate open internet access and roaming within the European Union.

One of the key innovations will be the ability for users to independently monitor connection quality. Smartphone owners will be able to optionally send data about internet speed, coverage stability, and other parameters. These readings will help more accurately identify problem areas of the network and indicate to operators where service improvements are needed.

Furthermore, for the first time, data transfer speed is officially enshrined as an indicator of mobile service quality. Previously, this parameter was mentioned in the law, but it was not considered a criterion, making it impossible to monitor operators’ compliance with their obligations.

The document also provides for accelerated network development in rural areas. To this end, the moratorium on compliance checks for license conditions is lifted—according to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, this moratorium was holding operators back from installing new base stations in small towns.

Another important innovation is the creation of a unified standard for emergency response, such as war, blackouts, or natural disasters. Under these conditions, the National Electronic Network Control Center will automatically enable national roaming to ensure users are not left without service. This mechanism will become part of a permanent backup access system and will remain in effect even after martial law ends.

The adopted bill provides for

• the ability for users to independently check connection quality;
• accelerated network development in rural areas;
• automatic national roaming in emergency situations;
• the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to European standards.

As Fediyenko noted, the implementation of the law will not require funding from the state or local budgets. The document has now been sent to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for signature.