On 22 July, Kyivstar began pilot testing of fifth-generation mobile communications in Kyiv. According to the operator, the test network covers a number of central locations in the capital and is the largest of the company’s sites. Subscribers with a compatible smartphone, up-to-date software and a USIM card can use the service.
Briefly about the main points
- Kyiv has become the fourth location for Kyivstar’s 5G pilot project.
- The trial area covers a number of locations in the central part of the capital.
- To access the service, you’ll need a 5G smartphone, up-to-date software and a USIM card.
- Mobile internet charges remain unchanged.
- More than 724,000 Kyivstar subscribers have already tried out 5G.
Where can I test the network?
In Kyiv, the trial network is available, in particular, on St Sophia’s Square and near St Sophia’s Cathedral, in the area around the Golden Gate and near the National Opera of Ukraine. The area also includes Taras Shevchenko Park, St Vladimir’s Cathedral, the O. V. Fomin Botanical Garden and the Kyiv City History Museum.
The operator also listed Independence Square, Khreshchatyk, European Square, Parkova Road, Volodymyrska Hill and Peizazhna Alley among the locations. The company noted that the Kyiv area is the largest of those covered by the pilot project.
What subscribers need and what speeds might be available
For use 5G You must be within the test coverage area, have a smartphone that supports the technology, and have the latest software installed. You will also need a USIM card — the same type used for 4G.
Charges will be applied in accordance with the current tariff. According to Kyivstar, the average data transfer speed on the pilot 5G network is 600–700 Mbit/s, whilst the maximum reaches 1.5–1.7 Gbit/s. This figure may vary depending on network load.
Kyiv has become the fourth location for the project
To Kyiv Kyivstar It tested the technology in Lviv, Borodianka and Kharkiv. Preparations for the launch in the capital took over half a year: the company announced the construction of new base stations, the preparation of infrastructure and the configuration of the network.
The operator attributes the choice of Kyiv to high mobile internet usage, the concentration of subscribers and the proportion of 5G-enabled devices. On the Kyivstar network, the proportion of such smartphones stands at almost 40%.
Initial test results
Since the start of the 5G pilot trial, more than 724,000 Kyivstar subscribers have used the technology. They have transmitted more than 755 TB of data via the fifth-generation network.
At the same time, according to the company, 4G remains the main mobile communications technology in Ukraine. Kyivstar states that high-speed LTE is available to more than 96% of the population, and peak speeds on this network reach up to 1 Gbit/s. Consequently, the pilot scheme in the capital allows the operator to test 5G in a city with a large number of users, without replacing the existing 4G network.
