The problem of lack of connectivity can be solved in one or two days
The responsibility for “home internet” in Ukraine is shared between providers and users. For shelters, the only reliable solution is to install fixed wired Wi-Fi.
This was stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine by the Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for the development of digital infrastructure Stanislav Prybytyko.
Also read: Any place in the apartment is dangerous, including the bathroom: the State Emergency Service explained which shelter to choose
Main points:
- Who gets free Wi-Fi: the government and businesses have already connected internet for some shelters in kindergartens, schools, colleges, universities, and large municipal bomb shelters.
- What about residential shelters: the initiative for Wi-Fi in the basement should come from the residents.
- How to proceed: discuss the issue with neighbors or the homeowners’ association, call a local provider, and order a connection.
- Best solution: for stable and fast internet, experts recommend choosing the energy-independent xPON technology (which allows connectivity without power for up to 72 hours).
Who the government helps with Wi-Fi in shelters
“Let’s be honest: penetrating thick concrete walls of basements with mobile signals from the street is physically very challenging,” the official noted.
The only reliable solution for shelters, according to him, is to install fixed wired Wi-Fi.
“The government, together with socially responsible telecom businesses, has focused resources on critical facilities,” Prybytyko explained.
He reported that Ukrainian operators and providers have already provided routers and high-speed internet for free to some shelters:
- in kindergartens;
- in schools;
- in colleges;
- in universities.
“They are also independently connecting large municipal bomb shelters to ensure there is always connectivity,” the deputy minister shared.
Who should install Wi-Fi in residential shelters
If we are talking about Wi-Fi in the basement of a regular apartment building, then, according to Prybytyko, “the initiative should come from the residents.”
“Do not expect a centralized program to cover all basements in the country,” the government representative noted.
He added that the action algorithm is very simple.
“You discuss this with neighbors or the homeowners’ association, call your local provider, and order internet installation (preferably using xPON technology) in your shelter,” the specialist explained.
He noted that the ministry sees “hundreds of successful cases” where “the proactivity of residents solved the problem of lack of connectivity in one or two days.”
How to install internet in a shelter in a building (infographic: RBC-Ukraine)
How to maintain internet without power in an apartment
“Regarding home internet – the responsibility is shared between providers and users,” Prybytyko stated.
At the same time, he emphasized that the priority today is the development of xPON technology.
After all, it “allows for internet access in an apartment for up to 72 hours without power.”
“All that is needed from a citizen is to power their router and ONU terminal from a regular power bank,” the deputy minister concluded.
Recall that we previously reported that Ukraine is tightening safety requirements for the civilian population. President Volodymyr Zelensky has already signed a law that makes the construction of shelters mandatory for all new residential buildings and infrastructure facilities.
Additionally, we explained what communication services without power should be available to every Ukrainian.
Also read about how Wi-Fi works on trains – whether you need to pay for internet and why the network disappears at high speeds.
