Cloud gaming technology is gaining momentum in Ukraine. In order for players to be able to join platforms such as Boosteroid , an internet provider must meet a number of technical requirements.
Cloud gaming technology is gaining momentum in Ukraine. In order for players to be able to join platforms such as Boosteroid , an internet provider must meet a number of technical requirements.
We spoke with the commercial director of JSC Ukrtelecom Igor Yaremchuk and learned how the company prepared its network for new services. The provider is generally ready for an increase in the number of players in the cloud and peak loads. The current capacity of its direct connections is over 700 Gbit/s, and external Internet channels - more than 300 Gbit/s. In addition, the average network latency is 20 milliseconds, which allows players to enjoy the game.
More about this later.
— How did the idea of a partnership between Ukrtelecom and Boosteroid come about? What benefits does it provide for both companies and users?
Ukrtelecom continues to actively develop digital services and is looking for partnerships that expand opportunities for our subscribers. One of such steps was joining forces with the cloud gaming platform Boosteroid. This partnership allows us to combine the stability of Ukrtelecom's high-speed optical Internet with advanced video game streaming technologies. Boosteroid is a well-known player in the global cloud gaming market, which provides access to the most popular games on almost any device - laptop, smartphone, TV, tablet or even in a car.
Ukrtelecom customers have the opportunity to get a high-quality gaming experience with a 50% discount without additional investments in hardware, and Boosteroid has an additional audience among our customers.
For us, this is also confirmation that our network is ready for high loads and can provide stable connectivity for modern services.
— How ready is the Ukrtelecom network for the loads created by cloud gaming services? Have any special measures been taken to optimize the infrastructure for such services?
Cloud gaming is one of the most connection-sensitive services. High demands on speed, low ping, and connection stability are a challenge that our network meets through constant modernization.
In particular, we are expanding the bandwidth of backbone channels, organizing direct connections with national and international operators, which, in turn, allows us to minimize delays by optimizing routing. The average latency on our network is 20 milliseconds.
This allows Ukrtelecom customers to receive the best cloud gaming experience.
Of course, we are ready for an increase in the number of players in the cloud and peak loads: the current capacity of our direct connections is over 700 Gbps, and external Internet channels - over 300 Gbps.
— How have the quality characteristics of the Ukrtelecom network changed in recent years? What key updates have been implemented? To what extent have they improved the stability and speed of the connection?
In recent years, we have invested significant resources in network development. This includes not only expanding optical coverage using GPON technology, but also improving the quality of the entire infrastructure.
During the full-scale war, we laid over 18,000 km of optics. We are implementing projects to expand the optical network throughout the country. We already provide connectivity to modern Internet services for more than three million households (Homepass).
Key updates include increased bandwidth of trunk and international channels, changes to network topology for optimal distribution of subscriber traffic, upgrades to transport equipment, and optimization of transport routes. This has reduced latency, increased average access speed, and made the connection more stable even during peak hours.
We pay special attention to cyber protection. In the face of growing threats, we have strengthened our traffic monitoring system, implemented modern solutions for detecting and preventing DDoS attacks, and expanded our protection against unauthorized access. This not only increases the security of our users, but also ensures the stability of the network even in the event of complex cyber incidents.
— Is the copper infrastructure capable enough to support cloud gaming?
Copper technologies, especially ADSL, have their limitations, and the quality of cloud gaming may not be the best. We are aware of this, which is why we are actively migrating our subscribers to fiber.
Currently, there are still some ADSL users in the network, but our goal is to reduce their share by providing the possibility of connecting to optics.
— What percentage of Ukrtelecom subscribers use services that require high bandwidth, such as cloud gaming, streaming platforms, and VR? Do you see an increase in demand for such services?
We are seeing a clear trend of increasing content consumption that requires high-speed internet. 4K video, VR applications, cloud gaming — all of this is becoming part of our users' digital lives.
— Is Ukrtelecom considering the possibility of installing a Boosteroid mirror on its network? Are there any negotiations underway regarding this?
No, there is no need for that at the moment.
— What content service mirrors are already operating on the Ukrtelecom network? How do they affect the quality of services for users?
Google, Meta (Facebook), MEGOGO, and Sweet.TV mirrors are already operating on the Ukrtelecom network. This allows for significantly reduced latency and accelerated content delivery to users, as well as reduced network load, particularly on external Internet connections.
