As of 2022, about 94.9% of Estonian households could access fixed broadband, and 78.9% had gigabit-speed FTTP, well above the EU average. The government targets full gigabit coverage by 2030, with about 77% of households connected to a Very High Capacity Network by 2023. 4G coverage exceeds 99% of the population, and by 2023 5G…
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In 2020, Ukraine planned a commercial 5G spectrum auction for end-2021, but the tender was delayed and regulators cut mobile termination rates from ₴0.12 to ₴0.08 per minute in October 2020 as they focused on 4G. In June 2021, Datagroup completed its acquisition of Volia, creating a combined fiber backbone with over 4 million fiber-connected…
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Overview: Types of Infrastructure Targeted Ukraine’s telecommunications network encompasses a wide range of critical infrastructure that has come under attack since 2022. These include: Together, these attacks have aimed to sever Ukraine’s connectivity – both civilian communications and military command links – by dismantling the physical pillars of the internet, phone, and broadcast systems. The…
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By 2024, small satellites accounted for over 95% of all satellites launched annually. SpaceX’s Starlink operates the world’s largest constellation with over 7,000 active satellites in orbit as of late 2024. Starlink’s initial shell consisted of about 4,400 satellites at roughly 550 km altitude and 53° inclination, with FCC approval for about 12,000 satellites and…
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Hurricane Maria in 2017 damaged 95% of cell towers in Puerto Rico, leaving the island largely without phone service. SpaceX’s Starlink uses a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation of hundreds to thousands of satellites, lowering latency to about 20–40 ms with ~600 ms for geostationary satellites. Starlink can deliver 100–200 Mbps per user, versus about 25…
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LEO satellites orbit at roughly 500–1,200 km, delivering latency of about 20–50 ms and broadband speeds comparable to terrestrial networks, versus GEO’s ~600 ms latency. SpaceX Starlink has launched over 7,000 satellites since 2019, provides coverage in about 130 countries, had more than 4 million subscribers by late 2024, and offers 50–200 Mbps to rural…
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August 2022: SpaceX and T-Mobile announced a partnership to provide direct-to-cell connectivity via Starlink satellites, with texting expected in 2023–24 and voice/data thereafter. January 2024: SpaceX achieved the first SMS directly via satellite, enabling a two-way text conversation between ordinary smartphones relayed entirely through space after the first batch of D2C-equipped satellites launched. Gen2 Starlink…
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By 2021, about 65% of fixed broadband subscribers in Bulgaria were on fiber, with gigabit speeds available and Vivacom launching a 10 Gbps fiber service. 5G was launched commercially in 2020, with A1 Bulgaria and Vivacom turning on 5G in 2020 and by the end of 2022 around 70% of the population expected to have…
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Starlink is available in over 100 countries as of mid-2025, spanning North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and parts of South America. As of late 2024, Starlink had surpassed 4 million subscribers. Starlink offers five service types: Residential, Roam, Business (Priority), Maritime, and Aviation. Typical speeds range from about 50 Mbps to 150+ Mbps, with…
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By late 2023, nearly every Ukrainian combat brigade had integrated drones, with dedicated UAV units for surveillance, artillery spotting, and attack missions. Small off-the-shelf DJI Mavic quadcopters, priced around $1,500–$3,000, were widely used for frontline reconnaissance and artillery correction. FPV kamikaze drones cost as little as $400–$500 to assemble and have been linked to a…
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