Ukraine Requires Network Operator to Ensure Service for at Least 10 Hours During Blackouts

Ukraine is now requiring cellular operators to ensure service availability nationwide for at least 10 hours during blackouts from the current four-hour requirement.

According to an order published by Ukraine’s National Center for Operational and Technical Management of Telecommunications Networks (NCU) on Tuesday, July 16, operators are required to ensure backup power for communications equipment in multiple stages in addition to the 10-hour requirement.

By Sept.1, communications facilities, including international switching centers, mobile switching centers, automatic long-distance telephone exchanges, etc., must be able to operate continuously for 72 hours using stationary or mobile power generators with fuel reserves or batteries.

By Oct. 1, at least 60 percent of base stations, also known as cell towers, need to be equipped with backup power sources, increasing to 70 percent by Nov. 1, 80 percent by Dec. 1, and 100 percent by February next year.

By Dec. 1, at least 25 percent of base stations in each region are also required to have 72 hours of reserve power through the use of backup generators or batteries.

Russia’s renewed strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since March have destroyed much of the country’s remaining power generation capacity with less than a fifth of the pre-war capacity remaining, leading to extensive rolling blackouts, as a recent Kyiv Post report established.

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The power outage is also exacerbated by the record heat across the nation, leading to extensive blackouts with electricity only available for two to four hours daily for some.

The power outage also affected the cellular network, as swarms of locals connected to the few remaining functional local cell towers at once when blackouts rendered their household internet inoperational, stressing the few towers remaining in operation. 

The NCU order is likely connected to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request on July 3 to examine the mobile network availability and stability during blackouts and identify any non-compliance with government-mandated guidelines on backup power sources.

However, network operators noted at the time that refueling backup generators for cell towers during blackouts was difficult due to their sheer number across the nation.