Rada rejected the bill on fines for mobile operators for poor communication during blackouts.

The Verkhovna Rada rejected the bill on fines for mobile operators for poor communication during power outages

In the first reading, the Verkhovna Rada rejected bill No. 11431, which provided for fines for mobile operators for poor communication during power outages. This was announced by Member of Parliament Yaroslav Zheleznyak.

According to the MP, only 199 deputies voted for the adoption of the bill. However, during the second consideration, it also did not receive the necessary number of votes, and is therefore considered rejected.

«In the first (reading - "Glavkom") No. 11431 regarding the regulation of state supervision in the field of electronic communications and the operational sustainability of electronic communication networks, the Rada failed», - he noted.

The bill provided for fines for operators for not ensuring uninterrupted communication in case of power outages.

It should be noted that the National Commission for State Regulation of Communication and Informatization (NCSRC), obligated mobile operators to equip 100% of their base stations with batteries and generators by February 1, 2025, to guarantee ten hours of uninterrupted network operation during blackouts. Also, by December 1, 2024, operators must ensure 72 hours of uninterrupted operation on 25% of their base stations.

Note that in the event of a blackout, mobile communication in Ukraine will operate for three days. Currently, mobile operators are jointly preparing for possible total power outages.

During power outages, there is a mass switch to mobile internet, which leads to a sharp increase in the load on the networks of mobile operators, which, in turn, causes communication problems.

By the way, Ukrainian mobile operators "Kyivstar", Vodafone, and lifecell made a joint statement on the requirement to ensure ten hours of network operation during prolonged power outages. They noted that it is extremely difficult to ensure 100% autonomy of mobile communication and the Internet for ten hours during blackouts.