Kyivstar could one of first operators in Europe to offer a satellite direct-to-device service via Starlink later this year – DT to launch D2D service in Europe with Skylo by end of 2025
The Ukrainian operator, part of VEON Group, signed a deal with Starlink in December 2024 to provide D2D services in the country. The first live tests are expected to start in June or July this year and the service is planned for commercial launch in the fourth quarter to support its 4G LTE network.
Initial services will be SMS messaging and will work with all 4G devices. A second phase will see the introduction of voice and data services and the third phase will roll out services for Internet of Things connectivity later in 2026.
The timing for the additional services depends on the capacity of the Starlink low Earth orbit constellation and how many satellites have been launched, explained Illya Polshakov, Chief New Business Streams Officer at Kyivstar, speaking to Mobile Europe at MWC25.
The priority is to enable emergency services for customers in rural areas in the case of blackouts or service disruptions so that they can be always online, he added. Beyond that, the operator will also leverage the satellite service to improve customer experience for voice and data services.
The operator will need to carve out a minimum of 5MHz of its spectrum to support the Starlink D2D services but expects the impact on its 4G services to be “minor”.
Deal with Starlink is commercial
The D2D deal with Starlink is seen as “a natural extension of our network resilience programme,” said Volodymyr Lutchenko, Chief Technology Officer at Kyivstar (pictured above).
The Ukrainian operator already uses Starlink’s satellite-based broadband services to provide emergency connectivity and is its “first choice for fast restoration”, explained Lutchenko.
“In locations where call connectivity is destroyed or we need fast restoration of the service, we bring the ‘cell on wheels’ and use Starlink as the backhaul…The satellite links into our network and we can provide services to the local village or small town,” said Lutchenko.
As there are many players with aspirations LEO satellite services space and it is early days for D2D services, Polshakov noted that Kyivstar is open to exploring partnerships with others as well, “but it’s a matter of commercial conditions”.
He pointed to Amazon’s Kuiper or Eutelsat OneWeb as other potential options. He also confirmed the operator had been in discussions with OneWeb and previously conducted trials with Lynk. “It’s very new for all of us. We should learn a lot. And I believe there will be more versions of releases of these satellites,” said Polshakov.
Geopolitical tensions
In the context of heightened geopolitical tensions between the US and Ukraine, speculation has swirled around the future availability of Starlink services in the country, where it is used by the military, and whether access to the service could become a bargaining chip in negotiations over terms for ending the war.
Polshakov did not comment on the geopolitical situation but stressed the “commercial” nature of Kyivstar’s relationship with Starlink and its ability to execute the rollout.
“We have a commercial agreement and we are on track. I don’t feel any influence on our progress and what we are doing, and we are very well organised on both sides. Since we started negotiations in September, we got the contract in December, and we are already going to launch the technology this year,” he said.
Satellite D2D was on the agenda at MWC25 this week with some notable developments. For example, Vodafone announced plans to create a European wholesale satellite services joint venture with its LEO partner AST SpaceMobile to provide D2D services to mobile operators.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Telekom announced plans to launch a D2D messaging service in Germany and Europe at the end of this year with satellite partner Skylo.
