We recently took a look at Ukrainian operators and their relative positions in the country’s telecom market.
As the Russian invasion continues, we turn our attention to the efforts of Ukrainian telcos, who are attempting to keep communications online under the most difficult circumstances.
Heroes
The former monopoly fixed line operator Ukrtelecom has been working hard to maintain its networks.
Director General Yuri Kurmaz told Ukrainian News on March 14 that 80% of district communication centers were now working. However, that percentage was much lower in some areas, dropping to 71% in the Zaporizhzhia region, 55% in Kharkiv, and just 4% in the Luhansk region.
Kurmaz added that even in areas under Russian control, the telco is managing to maintain services “almost in full.”
“As soon as the opportunity arises, we reconnect,” he stated.
More recently, on March 22, the company shared on its Facebook page that internet and telephone services were restored in the Kherson region, while 65% of district nodes were operational in the Donetsk region. The previous day, services had resumed via 70% of nodes in the Zaporizhzhia region.
By mid-March, less than three weeks into the war, Kurmaz estimated that the invasion would cost Ukrtelecom’s business over a billion hryvnias ($35 million). However, Kurmaz stressed that financial losses were not a priority, with at least one employee already killed, others injured, and hundreds evacuated or relocated.
In a mammoth effort to maintain connectivity despite shelling and other damage, engineers are putting themselves at risk—often under army protection.
In a mammoth effort to maintain connectivity despite shelling and other damage, engineers are putting themselves at risk—often under army protection.
“Our employees are real heroes,” said Kurmaz.
Culture Change
Kurmaz went on to note that pre-conflict business rivalries between competitors are long gone, with firms now collaborating to maintain services.
“We often work together with other operators, such as Kyivstar, Vodafone Ukraine, Tenet and ETT. I see that the culture of large telecommunications companies in Ukraine has changed: the very notion of competition in the pre-war sense of the word has disappeared.”
He also praised foreign telcos for providing equipment and aid.
Meanwhile, Ukrtelecom—along with other operators—is providing services to its customers on credit, since many are unable to pay bills on time, if at all.
Mobile Roaming
This new spirit of cooperation has also entered the mobile sector.
On March 7, 11 days after the invasion began, the country’s three main cellular operators—Kyivstar, Vodafone, and Lifecell—activated a free roaming service between their respective networks.
If a user’s mobile network signal becomes unavailable, they are advised to try one of the other two providers.
While initially set up for only voice and SMS, the roaming service was expanded to include data several days later, and geographic coverage has also been widened. In order to limit traffic, users have been asked not to transfer large files.
Bomb Shelters
The government has also introduced measures to maintain connectivity for those using underground shelters to avoid shelling and missile strikes.
Broadband ISPs in cities across Ukraine have connected hundreds of bomb shelters with fixed internet/Wi-Fi facilities and continue to expand their networks daily.
Broadband ISPs in cities across Ukraine have connected hundreds of bomb shelters with fixed internet/Wi-Fi facilities and continue to expand their networks daily.
In Kyiv, a special portal has been set up to keep track of shelters with internet access. On March 23, the site recorded 655 locations connected to the internet, with a total of 960 applications received. A total of 23 ISPs were collaborating in the capital to maintain access for the general public.
Cyberattacks
Even before the invasion began, Ukraine found itself the target of a wave of cyberattacks.
On February 15, the State Special Communications Service reported to have repulsed the largest DDoS attack ever carried out against the country—launched against banks and military systems.
Further cyberattacks took place on February 23—the day before the ground invasion—targeting government sites as well as banks. By March 16, the agency stated that Ukraine had suffered over 3,000 separate DDoS attacks.
These attacks—physical and online—are taking their toll. Internet monitoring firm NetBlocks said on March 17 that internet connectivity in Ukraine was at only 77% of its normal level.
Pete Bell
Pete Bell is a Research Analyst for TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database and also contributes to the daily CommsUpdate newsletter. He has a particular interest in wireless broadband and was responsible for TeleGeography’s 4G Research Service until it was integrated into GlobalComms.