Mobile operators who acquired frequencies in the 2100, 2300, and 2600 MHz bands at the auction conducted by the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radiofrequency Spectrum and the Provision of Postal Services (NCEC) may use them for 5G technology, stated NCEC Chairman Oleksandr Zhyvotovsky in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"All the 2100, 2300, and 2600 MHz frequencies sold at the auction can be used for 5G. They are technologically neutral. What does this mean? Operators will not need to purchase a new spectrum license to launch 5G technology. All that is required is a separate government decision and an approved resolution amending the Radio Frequency Spectrum Allocation Plan. This will follow a 5G testing phase to ensure the commercial rollout does not interfere with military operations," Zhyvotovsky said.

He emphasized that, from a customer experience perspective, the effect of implementing 5G may not meet expectations. Regular users accessing 5G via smartphones may not notice a significant difference compared to 4G, unlike the jump in performance between 3G and 4G.

Zhyvotovsky outlined three main use cases for 5G in Ukraine:

Smartphones supporting 5G: The key benefit will be higher data transfer speeds.

Last-mile connectivity: In residential spaces, for example, Smart TVs can connect directly to base stations without the need for cable installation.

The third is comprehensive adoption by businesses and governments: Smart factories, smart vehicles, and smart roads.

Earlier, it was reported that NCEC held its first spectrum auction in six years last Tuesday. Kyivstar, Vodafone Ukraine, and lifecell acquired new 15-year licenses for the 2100, 2300, and 2600 MHz bands, collectively offering UAH 2.894 billion, slightly above the starting price of UAH 2.871 billion.