Imagine: a frontline village with all towers destroyed, but the phone catches a signal from "Kyivstar|SpaceX" and sends a message via Viber. This is no longer a scenario — this is Light Data, the second phase of Starlink Direct to Cell in Ukraine.
What has changed
Since November 2025, Direct to Cell technology provided only SMS. Now Kyivstar has launched Light Data — a special mode for transmitting small amounts of data, in which applications adapt to work through a satellite channel. Available: text, voice and video messages in Viber and WhatsApp, photos, stickers, and Google Maps with geolocation.
The scale of the previous phase is impressive: according to Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov, in six months, 6 million subscribers sent over 10 million SMS via satellite — over 6 million of them just in January-February 2026.
"Kyivstar is one of the first operators in Europe to open general access to SpaceX satellite communications"
Kyivstar Press Service
How it works technically
Direct to Cell is not a separate device, but a satellite with a built-in LTE module that operates in the operator's licensed frequency bands. A smartphone automatically finds the "Kyivstar|SpaceX" signal when terrestrial coverage disappears. Each satellite is equipped with a full-fledged eNodeB, the same element of LTE architecture that usually stands on an earth tower.
Limitations worth knowing:
- Light Data for data transmission is currently available only on Android with 4G (LTE) support — iOS will arrive later
- The satellite channel has lower bandwidth than terrestrial networks — streaming and heavy files are not supported
- Coverage extends to all of Ukraine, except temporarily occupied territories, border zones, and areas of active hostilities
- The technology is a backup channel, not a replacement for regular mobile communications
What comes next
According to the company's plans, the next step is voice calls and full-fledged mobile internet. To achieve this, technical challenges related to satellite channel bandwidth must be resolved. Kyivstar is also considering Light Data in the B2B segment — specifically data transmission between devices via satellite for business customers.
In parallel, SpaceX is expanding its satellite constellation: over the past six months, Starlink satellites have performed approximately 150,000 collision avoidance maneuvers — which directly impacts channel stability.
The real question is not whether Light Data will work — it already is. The question is whether the satellite channel bandwidth will be sufficient when millions of subscribers from frontline zones start using it simultaneously: if the load increases significantly, will the system withstand degradation even of "light" data?
