Odessa has officially launched testing of a fifth-generation mobile network, joining Ukraine’s 5G pilot project aimed at improving connection quality and reducing the load on existing infrastructure. The Ministry of Digital Transformation announced the expansion of the pilot programme. The technology had previously been tested in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and Borodianka.
According to the ministry, average connection speeds in Odessa’s 5G test zone reach 600–700 Mbps, while peak speeds exceed 1 Gbps. In addition to providing higher speeds, 5G takes over a significant share of mobile traffic, helping maintain stable connections in areas with large concentrations of users.
Most modern smartphones connect to 5G automatically when coverage is available. If the 5G icon does not appear, users are advised to check their mobile network settings, update their operating system, disable battery-saving modes and restart their device.
Details of lifecell’s 5G launch
Testing is being conducted in the 3,500 MHz (n78) frequency band using the NSA (Non-Standalone) standard, in which the 5G radio network operates on the basis of existing 4G infrastructure.
According to lifecell, peak data speeds reach 1.5 Gbps, around ten times faster than 4G, while users generate an average of 10 TB of 5G traffic per day.
The network is available to all lifecell subscribers at no additional charge in key public and tourist areas:
- City centre: sections of Sadova, Preobrazhenska, Hoholia, Havanna, Derybasivska, Hretska, Yevropeiska, Rishelievska, Italiiska, Lanzheronivska, Niny Strokatoi and Lekha Kachynskoho streets, as well as Futurystiv Lane.
- Other locations: the Arcadia area and the waiting hall at Odessa railway station.
However, the company warns that indoor 5G availability may be limited by the density of the city’s buildings.
Odessa was selected in part because of the high concentration of compatible devices. According to lifecell, 5G-enabled smartphones account for 41% of devices on its local network, compared with a national average of 35%.
Coverage includes key locations in the city centre, including Prymorskyi Boulevard, Koblevska Street, Soborna Square, Derybasivska Street and Hretska Square, as well as the areas around Starosinna and Pryvokzalna squares and Kulykove Pole.
According to Vodafone, more than 1.5 million unique customers participated in 5G testing in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and Borodianka over a six-month period, with maximum speeds under load reaching almost 2 Gbps.
“For us, 5G is not simply a new communications standard, but the next stage in the development of Ukraine’s digital infrastructure. Each new launch gives us the practical experience needed to scale up the technology in the future, while giving our customers access to the capabilities of a next-generation network,” said Olha Ustynova, CEO of Vodafone Ukraine.
