By KYIV. May 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) – A joint statement-memorandum of Ukrainian and European telecom operators on affordable roaming for Ukrainians, extended for six months in early February this year, would be extended until Ukraine joins the EU roaming zone, President of Kyivstar, the largest Ukrainian mobile operator, Oleksandr Komarov has said.
“From my point of view, if nothing radically changes for the better, the memorandum will exist until we switch to European roaming,” he told Interfax-Ukraine.
Komarov said the current memorandum contains mutual obligations and forms pricing through established rates between the company and European operators.
According to him, Kyivstar has already calculated how Ukraine’s accession to the EU roaming zone will affect its performance. As the company’s president said, this will lead to even bigger costs.
“But these economic losses are worth it,” Komarov said.
Kyivstar is the largest Ukrainian telecommunications operator. It provides communication and data services based on a wide range of mobile and fixed-line technologies. Kyivstar serves 24.8 million subscribers, of which 3.3 million are internally displaced. Of the 2.2 million subscribers who went abroad, 1.4 million remain the company’s subscribers, including 95% using the “Roam like at Home” service provided in 27 countries.
Kyivstar said that its subscribers increased the duration of calls in roaming in December 2022 by 26 times compared to December 2021, and Internet use by 17 times.
