Before the commercial launch of the satellite communication project from a smartphone (Direct-to-Cell), which is being implemented by Kyivstar and Starlink, the relevant telecom regulator had reservations.
Before the commercial launch of the satellite communication project from a smartphone (Direct-to-Cell), which is being implemented by Kyivstar and Starlink, the relevant telecom regulator had reservations.
The National Commission for Regulation in the Field of Electronic Communications and Radio Frequencies, in a response letter to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, expressed reservations regarding the definition of paired radio frequency bands 1980 — 2010 MHz/2170 — 2200 MHz for the possibility of their use for the purpose of establishing a connection with a low-orbit satellite system (Direct to Cell).
This information is in the materials for the last meeting of the regulator .
«As of today, radio frequency bands for D2D use have not yet been defined at the international level; research is ongoing, the results of which will be presented at the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2027…», the commission’s letter states.
According to the regulator, 14 candidate radio frequency bands are currently being considered in the working groups of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and 5 candidate bands are being considered in the working group of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CERT), and none of these candidate bands fully coincides with the bands 1980 — 2010 MHz/2170 — 2200 MHz proposed by the project.
«Therefore, we consider the decision to allocate a specific band for D2D before the completion of international studies and the coordination of European approaches premature, since Ukraine has obligations to harmonize the use of radio frequency spectrum with the EU,» the response letter states.
Recall that beta testing of the Starlink satellite SMS service will take place in October and November 2025.
Later, the company promises to add the ability to use mobile Internet and VoLTE voice communication via Direct to Cell.
