Electronic Communication Commission issues unique network code 707 to Kyivstar for Direct-to-Cell technology
The largest mobile operator has received unique network code 707 for the implementation of Direct-to-Cell (D2C) satellite communication technology in Ukraine, the National Commission for State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radio Frequency Spectrum and the Provision of Postal Services reported.
This paves the way for the next stage of practical implementation of the joint project of Kyivstar with the American company SpaceX on testing and further implementation of the new D2C technology in Ukraine, the commission said on Facebook on Wednesday.
"Following the results of the application of Kyivstar for the issuance of an additional mobile network code (MNC), on March 19, the commission made a positive decision to issue a permit to use code 707 within the country code in the mobile communications system 255 (MCS, Mobile Country Code) - a unique digital identifier of a country used in international mobile networks to identify the state to which the communications operator belongs (the code of Ukraine in the international mobile communications system is 255)," the regulator reported.
A separate MNC code for the satellite segment of the network is needed so that subscribers can control and choose in which Kyivstar radio network (terrestrial or satellite) to receive services, explained in a post on Facebook Bohdana Piven, director of the electronic communications department of the commission.
"How will it work? Satellites orbiting in low Earth orbit and equipped with special eNodeB modems are actually LTE/4G mobile communication base stations. The introduction of the technology at the first stage will allow the operator's subscribers who have LTE/4G phones to exchange SMS and OTT messages," Piven wrote.
This can become an alternative technological solution for providing services in critical situations and will help solve the problems of covering remote, hard-to-reach areas of Ukraine.
It was previously reported that Kyivstar signed an agreement with Starlink, a division of SpaceX, on December 30, 2024 to introduce Direct-to-Cell satellite communication technology in Ukraine. It was expected that with its help the company would launch the function of exchanging SMS and OTT messages in the fourth quarter of 2025. The next stage will be the implementation of voice communication and data transmission. Direct-to-Cell technology will provide mobile communication on any 4G smartphone using a satellite signal where there is no traditional coverage from operators or if the terrestrial network does not work due to military or man-made factors.
