In the west of Ukraine, the process of releasing the 700 MHz band in Lviv and Volyn regions has been completed, which will allow Polish operators to develop 4G/5G networks in accordance with the received licenses in this band. About this informs the press service of the National Commission that carries out state regulation in the fields of electronic communications, radio frequency spectrum and the provision of postal services (NKEK).
The work was carried out in the 100-kilometer border zone in the Lviv and Volyn regions, where the frequencies of 50-53 television channels in the range of 694-790 MHz were released. The project was implemented with the support of international donors, who helped to update the equipment on 11 DVB-T2 digital television transmitters.
“According to the decision of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, member states had to ensure the use of the 700 MHz band for electronic communications by June 30, 2020. EU countries gradually freed up this spectrum, but the states neighboring Ukraine faced obstacles from Ukrainian television broadcasters.” – reported in NKEK.
In 2024, within the framework of the activities of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group at the European Commission, a communication platform was created to coordinate efforts with the participation of representatives of Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the EU. The participants defined an action plan, according to which the 700 MHz band will first be released in the Lviv and Volyn regions, and then in Transcarpathia. The process was complicated by a lack of funding and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The release of the 700 MHz band is expected to be completed by December 31, 2026.
We will remind that since 2021, the Ministry of Digital Affairs is working on freeing up the radio frequencies necessary for the launch of 5G. The key bands for Ukraine correspond to European ones — they are 700 MHz and 3.4–3.8 GHz. They will allow to provide a wider coverage of the territory.
