Major cell operator may face fines for lacking infrastructure
lifecell may be fined (Photo:Murad Sezer / Reuters)
Lifecell, a major
mobile operator in Ukraine, may soon find itself facing fines due to its
inadequate preparedness for potential blackouts, according to a report by Ukraine’s
National Communications Commission (NCC), published on Aug. 30.
The regulatory body is currently deliberating on imposing penalties on Lifecell for its network shortcomings in Rivne Oblast.
A recent NCC inspection in Rivne showed that Lifecell’s network there was only capable of providing connectivity to less than 50% of critical facilities. This falls significantly short of the required minimum standards for a three-day blackout scenario.
Lifecell has been granted a 20-day window to address and rectify these deficiencies. Failure to meet these requirements may result in punitive measures being enforced on the operator in accordance with the provisions outlined in the Electronic Communications Law.
Since January 2023, the regulator has conducted eight inspections of operators in various regions of Ukraine.
Vodafone Ukraine, another mobile operator, previously reported a substantial 75% increase in capital investments since the beginning of 2023. They have allocated over UAH 2 billion ($54 million) for repairs and equipment winterization.
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