Kyivstar is starting to switch off 3G in some regions as early as today
This has been announced by Kyivstar.
Three months ago, Kyivstar warned subscribers about changes due to come into effect on 7 April. This involves the gradual phasing out of 3G technology and the transition to 4G as part of network modernisation. The company explains that this should improve connection quality and increase mobile internet speeds.
The first phase will begin after midnight on 7 April in a number of towns and villages across four regions. Kyivstar notes that this should also improve LTE performance and mark another step towards the rollout of 5G in Ukraine.
What will change for subscribers
For most users, the transition should go smoothly. If your smartphone supports 4G and your SIM card is up to date, the changes will mainly boil down to faster mobile internet. However, some subscribers will need to check their device settings. On Android, you need to select LTE or 4G network mode, and on an iPhone, you need to enable ‘Mobile Data’, after which the device should automatically connect to the network. If the SIM card is outdated, it will need to be replaced at the operator’s shop.
From 7 April, 3G will begin to be switched off in towns and villages in the Rivne, Volyn, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions. Specifically, this applies to Rivne, Ostroh, Berezne, Kostopil, Klevan and Rivne district, certain districts of Volyn Oblast, Zvenyhorodka, Zvenyhorod district, Zhashkiv, Uman district, as well as Bakhmach, Nosivka, Nizhyn district, Novhorod-Siverskyi, Novhorod-Siverskyi district and Koryukivka district. The operator emphasises that the updates will be rolled out gradually and that subscribers will be informed separately about changes in specific locations.
The article also explains why mobile connectivity and internet access may be lost in towns during power cuts. Vodafone noted that during such periods, some fixed-line internet users switch to mobile, causing the load on the network to increase three to fourfold. Lifecell also pointed out that the switch to the mobile network and national roaming create an additional load.
Kyivstar, for its part, stated that in Kyiv, on days of widespread power cuts, the daily volume of mobile data transmitted can exceed 1 petabyte, i.e. 1,000 terabytes. The company says that the network automatically distributes subscribers across frequency bands and neighbouring cells to maintain optimal data transfer speeds, although during peak loads the effectiveness of such redistribution may decrease.
The article also provides information on Kyivstar’s special ‘ALL TOGETHER Comfort’ tariff, which is available to people aged 60 and over or those with disabilities. It costs 220 hryvnias per month, and the package combines mobile services with home internet. It includes unlimited calls within the network, 100 minutes to other numbers across Ukraine, 10 GB of data, 100 SMS messages and home internet.
As a reminder, Kyivstar subscribers can use the Starlink Direct to Cell satellite service in areas without mobile coverage. The technology works without additional devices, provided the basic requirements are met.
