Technologies — to the masses! High-speed Internet is promised in five thousand Ukrainian villages. Thus, 2 million people will have access to the network. This was reported by the Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Oleksandr Shelest.
Thus, the Ministry of Statistics of Ukraine announced the main task for the state — to provide 95% of the rural population of Ukraine with high-quality Internet by 2024. At the same time, the Ministry notes that it is necessary to do this primarily for social infrastructure facilities, because schools, libraries and hospitals do not have organized access to the Internet, or it is at such a low speed that there is no need to talk about digitalization. Most often, people connect to the Internet at a speed of 50 and 100 Megabits per second, but in the future the popular speed will be 200 Megabits per second, so an upgrade is necessary everywhere.
Now about 60% of Ukrainians regularly use the Internet. Even fewer people have access to a high-speed connection. The government plans to overcome the problem of digital inequality: in the plans, they will financially help providers to connect to the World Wide Web those settlements where it is economically unprofitable due to their remoteness and small number of inhabitants. Now there is no final understanding of where the money will come from and how the country will be covered by the network: it could be state subsidies or, for example, a special fund.
"The most important thing is to remember that there are two categories of high-speed Internet: fixed and mobile. Each of them has its own terms and technologies for implementation. if we are talking about mobile, then the obligations of operators who took the initiative to connect regions when they received new licenses are resolved here. According to these licenses, by the end of June 2022, operators must provide LTE and 4G in all regions, and by 2024 - all highways with high-speed communication. If we are talking about fixed, so-called "home" Internet, the priority here is fiber optic. It is durable, it is a new generation technology, and it is also compatible with mobile networks, which is universal." — said ElitExpert Alexander Shelest.
It should be noted that the Cabinet of Ministers previously approved a plan for the introduction of 4G throughout the territory of Ukraine. Now in Ukraine, more than 4 thousand towns and villages are covered by 20G networks. By the end of the year, fourth-generation mobile communications will be available to residents of Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions. Regarding 5G, the question is still open, while advanced countries are already talking about the implementation of this innovation.
"In order to provide Internet to those small towns and villages where there is currently no optical provider, next year 2021 we hope to win a tender to connect social infrastructure objects in communities - schools, libraries, clubs of "deep water". There are villages where no more than 10-20 people live, and, of course, there is a possibility that they will not be licensed due to bureaucratic and economic reasons. Nevertheless, the state must ensure everyone's right to access to communication. The Internet is not an additional benefit, it is something that should be basic and accessible." - summed up Shelest.
