Ukraine's mobile networks to operate 10 hours without power starting October 1

The National Center for Operational and Technical Management of Telecommunications Networks issued new guidelines on July 15, mandating that mobile communications be maintained for at least 10 hours after losing electricity, a significant increase from the previous four-hour requirement.

Under the new directive, by October 1, 60% of base stations should have the capability to function without power for at least 10 hours. This threshold will rise to 70% by November 1, 80% by December 1, and by the end of January 2025, all stations are expected to meet this standard.

Additionally, by this winter, operators must ensure that at least 25% of stations in each region are equipped with generators supplied with enough fuel and lubricants or have a replaceable battery pack capable of running independently for 72 hours.

Starting in September, all facilities operating as international switching centers, long-distance telephone exchanges, transit stations, and national internet traffic exchange points must be able to operate for at least 72 hours without power.

Anatoliy Frolenkov, a consultant at the 1-IX traffic exchange point, told NV Business that implementing these new rules will require significant investment and effort. Operators will need time to recharge batteries or maintain continuous power through generators. Frolenkov suggested that businesses would benefit from government or European grants to help cover the cost of the necessary equipment.

The use of generators, though sometimes indispensable, presents its own set of challenges. They are costly to fuel and require frequent maintenance by qualified staff—a difficult task as not all telecom industry professionals are exempt from military draft. Moreover, many base stations are located near residential areas, where the noise from powerful generators can be a significant nuisance.

Frolenkov emphasized the need to distribute the load between fixed and mobile communications to stabilize the system. He highlighted that hundreds of small fixed-line providers also play a crucial role in maintaining communication stability and need consideration.

"In addition to mobile operators, hundreds of small fixed-line providers maintain the stability of communication, and they also need attention," Frolenkov said. "And not an order to keep the connection up for 72 hours instead of 10."

Responding to NV Business's inquiry about the new requirements, three major operators—Lifecell, Kyivstar, and Vodafone—indicated they are currently assessing the situation. Kyivstar's press service noted they are analyzing the current circumstances and have already invested over 1 billion hryvnias ($24 million) to enhance the energy independence of their network.

Vodafone described the new standards as "quite complex" and detailed their ongoing efforts to bolster energy resilience, with plans to install 83,400 units of batteries in 2024—1.5 times the capacity available at the start of the year. The company's total investment in energy resilience from 2022 to 2024 will surpass 674 million hryvnias ($16.3 million).