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Ukraine launches 5G pilot project

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Ukraine launches 5G pilot project
Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov at the Globsec forum in Prague, Czechia, on Aug. 30, 2024. Illustrative purposes. (Ray Baseley/The Kyiv Independent)

Ukraine is launching a 5G pilot project in three cities to test the network's compatibility with military technology, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on Nov. 1.

5G, the fifth-generation cellular network technology, offers significantly faster data-transmission speeds than its predecessor, 4G.

The Ukrainian government has amended the resolution on the use of radio frequencies, paving the way for the country to test 5G technology, according to Fedorov.

The two-year pilot program will cover three cities and include two stages, he said. The National Cybersecurity Coordination Center (NCCC) and Ukrainian State Center for Radio Frequencies will partner to test whether or not 5G equipment interferes with military networks.

"5G is capable of transmitting data 10 times faster than 4G, so it creates new opportunities for exchanging large amounts of information at ultra-high speeds," Fedorov said.

"This is one of the key steps towards the full launch of 5G in Ukraine, which we plan to complete by 2030."

Fedorov said the launch of 5G could provide more flexibility to operators and ensure the development of high-quality telecommunications despite the pressures of Russia's full-scale war.

Fedorov did not identify the three cities that would participate in the pilot program.

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Abbey Fenbert

Senior News Editor

Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.

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