Mobile operator Kyivstar has signed an agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink to introduce satellite cellular services in Ukraine. This was announced on Monday by the company's press service, UNN reports.
The agreement will reportedly make Ukraine one of the first countries to have access to Starlink's innovative Direct to Cell service, which will significantly increase the resilience of the national communications infrastructure.
The agreement will allow Kyivstar customers to use satellite communications when the terrestrial network cannot serve a certain area, the company said in a statement.
Kyivstar is expected to launch Starlink Direct to Cell services with SMS and OTT messaging in the fourth quarter of 2025. The next stage will be voice and data services.
Recall
In January, SpaceX's Starlink division launched its first satellites providing direct communication services into orbit. Last month, the US Federal Communications Commission granted SpaceX permission to provide certain coverage for consumer mobile phones. The company has partnered with T-Mobile US Inc. to use its growing Starlink network of thousands of satellites in orbit to reach customers in “dead zones”.