Ukraine is preparing new rules to ensure communications during critical events. The State Service for Special Communications, together with the regulator (NKEK), is finalizing a document that will allow the state to instantly enable national roaming between mobile operators — including completely free of charge for people.
Ukraine is preparing new rules to ensure communications during critical events. The State Service for Special Communications, together with the regulator (NKEK), is finalizing a document that will allow the state to instantly enable national roaming between mobile operators — including completely free of charge for people.
In short: if your operator’s network goes down due to shelling or an accident, you can easily switch to another operator’s network where there is communication.
What exactly is changing and how will it work?
Previously, to launch national roaming, operators (Kyivstar, Vodafone, lifecell) had to conclude special agreements or agree on commercial terms. But during a large-scale emergency, there may not be time for this.
Now the state, represented by the National Control Center (NCC), will be able to act proactively:
Launch with a «single decision»: During a war, state of emergency, or large-scale emergency (for example, significant damage to the power grid or shelling), the NCU will be able to issue a direct order.
National roaming will become free: The order may clearly state that operators are obliged to accept subscribers of other networks without any additional fees.
We will negotiate the priority, but without delay: Forced roaming will be turned on when the operators themselves do not have or have not had time to sign a mutual assistance agreement in a specific region.
A clear list of services: The state will immediately indicate what exactly will work through roaming in a specific situation (for example, only calls and SMS to save network, or also mobile Internet).
