The use of Starlink technologies in Ukraine's communication infrastructure has transitioned from an emergency solution to systemic integration. Our journalist Alina Volianska spoke with Kyivstar.Tech CEO Andrii Zhukovskyi at the Tech 360: Policy Meets Technology event. He shared his vision of how new technologies are changing the coverage landscape and discussed the details of cooperation with SpaceX.
Photos provided by IT Ukraine Association
Technology Limitations and Subscriber Expectations
It is clear that the experience of using Starlink technology prompts reflection on whether this technology will eventually be able to completely cover "dead zones." At this stage, satellite communication effectively solves the problem of physical signal presence where ground infrastructure is absent or damaged. However, Andrii Zhukovskyi notes that for stable network operation under heavy load, the technology still needs to undergo further improvement.
"One must understand the existing limitations of this technology. That is, it can address coverage limitations, but it cannot yet fully satisfy user demand at these points. Everything depends on the load, on the number of subscribers trying to use the service simultaneously. And within the limitations provided by the technology, it is undoubtedly a good solution. But it still falls short of subscriber expectations" – Zhukovskyi explained.
In essence, Starlink allows the operator to provide its services where communication was previously unavailable. However, the speed and stability of the connection depend on the number of active users simultaneously located in one area.
Photos provided by IT Ukraine Association
Direct Contract with SpaceX: Ukraine's Role in the Global System
The process of establishing direct cooperation with Elon Musk's company occurred amidst an urgent need to restore communication in critical areas. As the Kyivstar.Tech CEO noted, the company's international ties and Kyivstar's presence in the global market played a key role.
"We always strive to be at the forefront of technical and technological development. And when we saw the existence of such technology, and that it could indeed meet certain needs of Ukrainians in conditions of power outages, subsequent radio coverage disruptions, and communication breakdowns, especially in critical zones near the demarcation line and so on. We contacted the company (ed. – SpaceX), which provides great support to Ukraine, and proposed a partnership. Thanks to our connections, including through the headquarters and with the involvement of our American partners, such a close dialogue and rapid cooperation became possible" – noted the Kyivstar.Tech CEO.
An important factor was that Ukraine became the world's largest testing ground for Starlink technology in wartime conditions. According to the head of Kyivstar.Tech, the share of Ukrainian users in the global satellite network is significant.
"Ultimately, this (ed. – cooperation with SpaceX) became interesting to both sides. Because, it's worth noting, perhaps, that currently about 30% of all Starlink subscribers are Kyivstar subscribers. Globally. So for them, this is indeed an approbation of the technology in real-world conditions, and they are also interested in seeing how it all unfolds," Andrii Zhukovskyi emphasized.
Next Steps: Partnerships and Additional Technologies
Cooperation with SpaceX is not the only solution for network improvement. Andrii Zhukovskyi emphasized that the company's current strategy is to rapidly adapt any innovations capable of ensuring network stability in the face of new infrastructure challenges.
"We are always open to such partnerships. We also have national roaming to back each other up in difficult conditions. Now there's coverage via Starlink. Accordingly, if similar technologies emerge, again, it's worth mentioning Voice Over Wi-Fi*, which also enhances coverage quality for the end consumer. All this demonstrates that as soon as new technologies appear, they are immediately put to work and implemented to improve services," concluded the Kyivstar.Tech CEO.
*Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) is a technology that allows making calls and sending SMS via Wi-Fi where mobile communication is weak or unstable. Read more about it here.
Conclusion
Although the technology still has a way to go to achieve complete stability under high loads, this case is already setting new standards for global infrastructure resilience. In particular, the first results of Direct-to-Cell implementation are pleasantly surprising: 5 million Ukrainians have already used the service, as we wrote in our previous material.
Adaptis continues to monitor developments and new stages of integrating innovative technologies into Ukrainian infrastructure.
