Mobile proxy infrastructure in Ukraine is usually built on SIM cards from three operators: Kyivstar, Vodafone Ukraine, and lifecell. For proxy pools, the key is not just “coverage somewhere”, but coverage at your exact modem sites, latency (ping), stability under load, behavior during power outages, and plan restrictions.
This article provides a practical comparison framework using public benchmarks (nPerf, Speedtest Awards references) and reporting about 5G pilots and tests in Ukraine.
1) How to compare operators for a proxy pool
- Desk check: coverage in your regions, spectrum (LTE 900 MHz matters for rural/indoor), SIM availability, plan rules.
- Field tests: ping to your servers, peak-hour stability, drop rate, and recovery time.
2) 4G coverage: why LTE-900 matters
In cities, all three usually provide workable 4G. Differences often appear on highways, in smaller towns, and indoors. The 900 MHz band generally improves reach compared to higher bands.
Ukraine’s major operators received LTE-900 licences enabling rollout starting July 1, 2020, with coverage expansion obligations.
3) Speed and latency: public reference points
nPerf (2024): Kyivstar and Vodafone are described as co-leaders overall; Kyivstar shows the best average latency (43.6 ms) and an average download speed of 24.2 Mbps; lifecell stands out in browsing and video streaming experience metrics.
Speedtest Awards (H2 2024): reporting referencing Ookla indicates Kyivstar leading a coverage index and showing strong speed performance in the second half of 2024.
For many proxy workloads (browser automation, logins, QA), latency consistency matters more than peak Mbps.
4) Stability: peak hours and power outages
- Run dedicated tests during peak hours (typically 19:00–23:00).
- Measure drops per day and recovery time.
- Validate behavior during real outages while your equipment is on UPS.
Reporting around 5G pilots in Ukraine links service stability to backup power and network load, and notes that 5G is more energy-demanding.
5) Redundancy: build a multi-operator pool
For resilience, avoid single-operator dependency: keep at least two operators per site, and three for critical workloads.
Ukraine introduced national roaming in March 2022, allowing subscribers to switch to another operator’s network when their own is unavailable. It is not a full proxy “failover”, but it can help in emergencies.
6) Plan restrictions to check before scaling
- Fair-use throttling on “unlimited” plans
- Tethering/sharing rules
- Bulk SIM usage limitations and support paths (business/M2M)
7) 5G pilots: what to expect
As of early 2026, 5G is being developed via pilot zones; reporting mentions a 5G test zone in Lviv and plans to expand pilots in 2026.
Other reporting notes that all three operators have conducted 5G tests in different years, and highlights the role of backup power.
8) Quick checklist
- Pilot 10–20 SIMs per operator per site.
- Monitor for 24–72 hours: avg ping, p95/p99, drops, recovery time.
- Test peak hours at least two evenings.
- Implement redundancy: 2–3 operators, spare SIMs, backup power.
Bottom line: the “best operator” is the one delivering the most stable 4G signal and the lowest, most consistent latency at your specific site. The most robust design is a mixed pool across Kyivstar/Vodafone/lifecell with redundancy.