Kyivstar Launches 5G Pilot Program in Lviv

Kyivstar,Ukraine’s leading digital operator, has launched a 5G test zone in the historical center of Lviv, Ukraine. This marks the company’s first local pilot 5G project, implemented within a framework established by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

The goal of the pilot project is to evaluate the performance of the new technology under real urban conditions. Following a successful evaluation, Kyivstar will gradually expand 5G coverage to other Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv and Borodianka, with Kyiv and Odesa planned for 2026. The Ukraine government determined the testing locations, selecting the most populous cities with advanced infrastructure. A full-scale 5G rollout across Ukraine will only be possible after the war ends.

“Even in the midst of full-scale war — under constant Russian attacks on infrastructure and during blackouts — Ukraine continues to move forward and expand innovation in the telecom sector. The launch of the 5G pilot in Lviv is an important step that we have jointly prepared with mobile operators. Lviv is only the first city. We will soon begin pilots in Borodianka and Kharkiv as well. Our goal is to ensure that Ukrainians stay connected and have access to advanced technologies under any circumstances,” said Mykhailo Fedorov, First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

“Kyivstar is driving Ukraine’s digital transformation with investments in advanced technologies, from piloting 5G in Lviv to pioneering Direct to Cell satellite connectivity through is partnership with Starlink,” said Oleksandr Komarov, CEO of Kyivstar. “Our commitment goes beyond connectivity: we are investing USD 1 billion over 2023-2027 into rebuilding Ukraine’s connectivity and digital infrastructure, from energy resilience for our network to digital services to Ukraine’s own sovereign Ukrainian LLM, powering not just growth for our company but helping support Ukraine’s future recovery.”

The base stations of this new-to-Ukraine standard have already been put into operation in Lviv’s historical downtown. Prior to the pilot launch, Kyivstar carried out comprehensive preparations across its network infrastructure, including ensuring that the 5G activation would not interfere with military communications. The company conducted its first 5G tests in February 2024 at its head office in Kyiv, confirming its technical readiness for broader deployment. In Ukraine, 5G will operate in two frequency bands — 3500 MHz (for high data transmission speeds) and 700 MHz (to ensure wider coverage).

During pre-launch testing in Lviv, Kyivstar’s 5G network achieved peak download speeds exceeding 2.4 Gbps (actual speeds after commercial launch may vary depending on network congestion and other environmental factors).

Kyivstar will continue to focus on its “4G Everywhere” target, which meets the needs of most smartphone users in Ukraine. With Kyivstar’s ongoing network modernization, peak 4G speeds already exceed 1 Gbps in some areas during off-peak hours.

Read More: The Biggest Cloud Security Challenges Enterprises Must Address in 2026

Prior to the pilot launch, Kyivstar carried out comprehensive preparations across its network infrastructure, including ensuring that the 5G activation would not interfere with military communications. The company conducted its first 5G tests in February 2024 at its head office in Kyiv.

In Ukraine, 5G will operate in two frequency bands: 3500 MHz for high data transmission speeds and 700 MHz to ensure wider coverage. During pre-launch testing in Lviv, Kyivstar’s 5G network achieved peak download speeds exceeding 2.4 Gbps (actual speeds after commercial launch may vary depending on network congestion and other environmental factors).

Write to us [⁠wasim.a@demandmediaagency.com] to learn more about our exclusive editorial packages and programmes.