Ukraine will be the first country in Europe where Starlink mobile services will be launched: messaging is planned to be launched by the end of this year, and mobile satellite internet — in mid-2026. This was announced by the CEO of "Kyivstar" Oleksandr Komarov in an interview with Reuters, writes UNN.
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Field tests have now begun as part of an agreement concluded at the end of 2024 with Space X. Communication will be via satellites equipped with modems. They will function as cellular towers, transmitting phone signals from space directly to smartphones.
"The first stage is messaging using OTT technology... that is, messaging via WhatsApp, Signal and other systems," Komarov said.
According to him, it will be implemented by the end of this year.
"And, probably, in early 2026, let's play it safe, in the second quarter of 2026, we will be able to offer mobile satellite broadband data... and voice," Komarov added.
He stated that Ukraine's telecommunications infrastructure is well withstanding the escalation of attacks from Russia in recent weeks.
Last year, attacks on power grids and transmission lines led to daily power outages in major cities, disabling about half of Ukraine's available generating capacity.
"I think we are much more resilient than we were in 2022. Now we can provide uninterrupted fixed and mobile communication for up to 10 hours during power outages, even nationwide," Komarov added.