From September 3, 2026, the mobile operator lifecell will cease operation of the 3G network in a number of settlements in 17 regions of Ukraine.
From September 3, 2026, the mobile operator lifecell will cease operation of the 3G network in a number of settlements in 17 regions of Ukraine.
The company will completely convert the vacated 2100 MHz frequencies to the 4G (LTE) standard, which will increase the speed of mobile Internet by an average of 20–30% and ensure more stable communication during peak loads, the lifecell press service reported.
The technology will be turned off in Zhytomyr region, Mykolaiv region (except for the city of Mykolaiv), as well as in 468 other settlements in Vinnytsia, Volyn, Zakarpattia, Zaporizhia, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Odessa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions.
Base stations in these regions are already prepared for operation. Within a few weeks after the 3G shutdown, the operator will expand the 4G band to a maximum of 20 MHz. The reconfiguration will take place without interrupting services for customers.
88% of users in these regions already have compatible smartphones and SIM cards - for them the transition will happen automatically. If 4G is not working yet, it is worth checking if LTE is enabled in the phone settings.
If your SIM card is outdated, until October 10, 2026, it can be replaced free of charge (for UAH 0.01) with a USIM or eSIM in lifecell branded stores while keeping your number.
About 9% of subscribers still use 2G phones. For them, disabling 3G will not change anything - voice communication will continue to work on the 2G network. However, to access high-speed Internet, you will need to upgrade not only your SIM card, but also your smartphone itself.
