"Connection even where there is no network": Ukraine among the first in the world to launch Starlink Direct to Cell

August 12, 2025 at 01:17 PM • 3545 переглядiв

Ukraine is among the first in the world to launch Starlink Direct to Cell technology, which allows communication even where there is no network, directly via satellite, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov announced on Telegram on August 12, writes UNN.

Satellite communication in every smartphone - Ukraine is among the first in the world during the war to launch Starlink Direct to Cell technology
- Fedorov said.

Communication even where there is no network. Ukraine has become one of the first countries in the world where Starlink Direct to Cell technology has started working - direct communication via satellite without antennas and additional equipment, only 4G and a SIM card are enough
- Svyrydenko noted.

Fedorov reported that Starlink Direct to Cell was tested together with Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov. And that this technology will allow Ukrainians to stay connected without mobile network coverage via SMS.

How it works

"Thanks to satellite technology, users do not need to buy expensive equipment - a 4G smartphone with a SIM or ESIM card is enough," Fedorov noted.

According to him, Ukrainians will be able to stay connected in hard-to-reach places: in the mountains, during bad weather, network failures or power outages. "The main condition for the technology is direct visibility of the sky," he noted.

Fedorov emphasized: Ukraine is among the first countries in the world, along with the USA, Australia, Japan, Canada, and New Zealand, to launch Direct to Cell technology. "Despite the war, we continue to develop innovative solutions, because reliable communication for every Ukrainian is one of our key priorities," the Vice Prime Minister emphasized.

The technology is currently undergoing beta testing, and the official launch is scheduled for this autumn
- Fedorov said.

As Prime Minister Svyrydenko added, "Kyivstar plans to launch the first stage in autumn 2025 - the ability to send SMS from a controlled point in Ukraine."

"During the war, when the enemy deliberately strikes at energy and communication, and individual communities risk being in informational isolation, such technology is not only a matter of comfort, but also of security," Svyrydenko summarized.