A new phase of digitalization is arriving in Ukraine. The pilot project for the fifth-generation (5G) network, successfully launched in the capital, is preparing for scaling. Authorities intend to expand the coverage area by including another major city in the experiment.
This was stated by Stanislav Prybytko, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine for the development of digital infrastructure, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. According to him, following Kyiv, Odesa will become the next testbed for the technology.
Technical basis and goals of the experiment
At the moment, more than 300 base stations are already operating in the country, providing the functioning of the 5G pilot network in Kyiv. However, testing in one metropolis is not enough for the full implementation of the technology.
Stanislav Prybytko emphasized that it is critical to test the network's performance under various operating conditions:
- In large cities with high population density and infrastructure load;
- In small communities;
- In areas with low-rise construction;
- In zones of dense high-rise construction.
The launch in Odesa will allow for a comparison of network performance indicators in the two largest cities of the country with different load profiles.
Impact of martial law on the implementation schedule
Initially, the 5G testing was planned to be completed by the end of the current year. However, the current situation has introduced adjustments to the schedule. Authorities are considering the possibility of extending the pilot phase for the entire duration of martial law.
This approach will allow for the collection of the most complete dataset on the technology's performance in real-world conditions and prepare for the full deployment of the network after the war ends. The information obtained will become the foundation for further scaling of the project across the entire territory of Ukraine.
