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Марія Бровінська
14 February 2026, 16:11
2026-02-14
5G testing has started in Kharkiv
lifecell has launched a pilot operation of the 5G network in Kharkiv at frequencies of 3500 MHz. The city became the third after Lviv and Borodyanka, where lifecell’s 5G technology started operating in test mode. All subscribers of the operator can use the new technology without additional payment. The necessary conditions are being in the coverage area, having a 5G-enabled device with a USIM or eSIM card, as well as the current version of the operating system and appropriate equipment settings.
lifecell has launched a pilot operation of the 5G network in Kharkiv at frequencies of 3500 MHz. The city became the third after Lviv and Borodyanka, where lifecell’s 5G technology started operating in test mode. All subscribers of the operator can use the new technology without additional payment. The necessary conditions are being in the coverage area, having a 5G-enabled device with a USIM or eSIM card, as well as the current version of the operating system and appropriate equipment settings.
Kharkiv was a logical choice for 5G testing as one of Ukraine’s largest megacities, an important industrial, scientific, and educational center even in the midst of a full-scale war. Despite its proximity to the front, hundreds of thousands of people continue to live and work here — and connectivity remains critically important to them.
Launching 5G in such an environment allows us to test the technology in real-world conditions in a large metropolis: under high load, in dense construction, and with increased requirements for network reliability.
The 5G test network launched in the city, just like in Lviv and Borodyanka, operates in the NSA (Non-Standalone) standard, i.e. the 5G radio part works together with the existing 4G infrastructure, which manages the data exchange between the subscriber device and the network. Launching the network in this standard allows for the rapid implementation of 5G on the existing infrastructure and evaluating the network behavior under real load.
The new technology allows for peak speeds of over 1 Gbps and up to ten times higher average performance compared to LTE. The implementation of 5G will allow subscribers to seamlessly use cloud services, watch videos without delays in high quality, quickly download large files, play online games, use VR/AR to develop IoT ecosystems for city services and business needs.
Testing in Lviv and Borodyanka has already demonstrated real-world performance of 5G: the average daily traffic consumption by lifecell 5G subscribers exceeds 2 TB, the maximum data transfer speed reached 1.5 Gbps, and the average was about 500 Mbps. The peak number of simultaneous 5G sessions reached 1,200, and the maximum number of active 5G subscribers within an hour was more than 3,700 users, which makes it possible to analyze the behavior of the network under high load.
Currently, 5G coverage is concentrated in the central part of Kharkiv (Freedom Square and parts of the surrounding streets). The availability of a 5G signal may also depend on the location and building density, and access to the next-generation network may also be limited indoors.
To use 5G, lifecell subscribers need to have a USIM or eSIM, a smartphone with support for the n78 band (3500 MHz), an up-to-date version of the operating system, and sufficient traffic within the tariff plan’s service package.
The Cabinet is preparing 5G frequencies in two bands for a tender. What is most interesting is that the military will also be able to deploy private 4G/5G networks. Here’s what we learned
«Це час, щоб стояти за країну. Навіть не думайте про свою зарплатню». Інтерв'ю з CEO lifecell Ісметом Язиджи
CEO мобільного оператора lifecell Ісмет Язиджи — з Північного Кіпру. Але за п’ять років життя в Україні він так звик до місця, що асоціює цю країну зі своїм другим домом. Ісмет обожнює Київ. І минулого тижня сюди повернувся. Він був вражений від того, що тут побачив.
