The government removed the main barrier for providers: the rental of electrical poles fell to 1 kopeck

The government removed the main barrier for providers: the rental of electrical poles fell to 1 kopeck

Today, it is impossible to buy a single household item for a single kopeck, but this symbolic amount will help bring high-speed optical internet to the homes of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians. For years, telecom providers have bypassed remote and small villages because the high cost of renting electrical poles made laying the cable economically unprofitable and unprofitable.

From now on, telecom operators will pay for access to infrastructure symbolic 1 kopeck instead of 10 hryvnias per support, and the saved resources will be directed directly into the development of networks. This regulatory decision Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine will create an opportunity to connect to a quality connection 1,043 settlementswhose residents still did not have home internet.

New network economy and long-term guarantees for business

The reduction in infrastructure usage fees significantly reduces financial barriers for local and national telecom providers. Thanks to preferential tariffs, operators will be able to accumulate capital for the purchase of station equipment, optical splitters, node modernization and backbone laying of energy-efficient optical networks using technology xPON (GPON).

Key conditions of the new mechanism:

  • Wide coverage of benefits: the fixed price of 1 kopeck applies not only to poles within settlements, but also to the main transit of cable lines from neighboring cities or towns;
  • Long term validity: regulatory conditions will be in effect throughout the entire period of martial law and one more year after its completion, which allows operators to confidently build long-term investment plans.

What does this change for residents and communities?

Reducing the cost of infrastructure use has a direct socio-economic effect for rural areas and frontline communities:
  1. Energy-efficient and stable internet: xPON network installation guarantees connectivity during long power outages provided the router has autonomous power supply;
  2. Access to government and financial services: the ability to freely order services through the Diya application, use online banking and e-medicine;
  3. Distance education and work: Schoolchildren and students in remote regions will receive full access to educational platforms without delays and connection interruptions.

Comparison of rural network connection conditions

Parameter / IndicatorOld terms and conditions for pole rentalNew preferential conditions
Rental cost of 1 support10 hryvnias / month1 kopeck / month
Economic feasibilityLoss-making in small villagesHigh return on investment in xPON
Potential reachLimited1,043 new settlements
Benefit validity periodMissingMartial law + 1 year after completion

HiTech Expert Take

Reducing the cost of tower rental to 1 kopeck is a strong applied step towards eliminating the digital divide between cities and villages. Instead of direct budget subsidies, the state used an effective regulatory lever, eliminating artificial costs for the telecom business. For the market, this means accelerated deployment of non-volatile GPON networks in the most remote corners of the country, which will directly contribute to the digitalization of education, medicine and public services. Follow the latest news, reviews of communications, providers and telecom infrastructure in the profile section Contact on HiTech Expert: