Ukrtelecom taps Iskratel for network expansion
Created September 8, 2021
News and BusinessUkrainian telecom operator JSC Ukrtelecom and Iskratel have partnered to expand the country’s fibre-optic network to bridge the digital divide. Worth around A €12 million (US$14 million), the deal is aimed at improving broadband in Ukraine, over the next three years.
The network-expansion programme, financed by Ukrtelecom, Iskratel and financial partners, will provide more than 300 locations in various Ukrainian regions with gigabit-capable connectivity. Using PON technology, the expanded network will potentially offer connectivity to 1.3 million people and 530,000 homes. Addressing both rural and urban areas in the country, the project will roll out equipment assembled in Slovenia at Iskratel’s production centres and will offer speeds of up to 1 Gbps, for IPTV and other IP-based services.
“The joint programme between Iskratel and Ukrtelecom is playing an increasingly important role in the roll-out of broadband Internet in Ukraine,” Iskratel’s CEO Željko Puljić commented. “This collaboration continues the long-term partnership between our two companies in the development of the country’s fibre-optical access that now amounts to €25 Million.”
“Ukrtelecom is a nationwide telecommunications company with the largest geographical coverage, and we continue in our mission of bridging the digital divide across Ukraine,” Ukrtelecom CEO Yuriy Kurmaz said. “Working with Iskratel will boost our contribution to the development of Internet access in Ukraine.”
In April 2020, Iskratel and Ukrtelecom invested around €7.5 Million on a two-year construction project to connect more than 200 localities in 13 Ukrainian regions using GPON technology. Previously, Ukrtelecom and Iskratel rolled out fibre broadband for 300 localities in a project, launched in 2019.
Iskratel was acquired by Austrian IT company S&T AG in July 2020, for around €37.5 million (US$44.5 million).
For more information, visit www.iskratel.com
