In Ukraine will plan to create public Wi-Fi points in case of power outages. They will run on Tesla Powerwall batteries and Starlink terminals.
The Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov informed about this in an interview with Forbes.
Part of the 1 570 Starlink terminals that Ukraine will receive from Poland will be used to create points.
"Now we are thinking about how to provide citizens with the most stable connection during power outages. Without electricity in some regions, both mobile towers and fixed Internet providers do not work. We understand the situation of each provider, how many generators and batteries they buy, how we can help. However, we want to provide the country with reinforced concrete places for communication in any situation. Including, we are considering the use of the Tesla Powerwall, Starlink, so that such public communication points are in Ukraine and work independently of the operation of the power grid," Fedorov noted.
He does not yet know how many such access points there will be, but currently test points are already being made in Ukraine. Starlink terminals have already been sent to locations.
"We will receive a test point this week, we will check the work in an internal format, and then — scaling," the minister stated, adding that the first public points will be operational already in November.
- On October 14, it became known that the "SpaceX" company warned the Pentagon that it could stop funding "Starlink" in Ukraine, unless the American military allocates tens of millions of dollars a month. The Office of the President of Ukraine replied that Ukraine would find a way to maintain "Starlink".
- Later, Elon Musk changed his mind and declared that he would continue to finance "Starlink" services in Ukraine, but the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis offered the allied countries to pay Ukraineʼs bills for "Starlink" together, if Elon Muskʼs company "SpaceX" could no longer do it.
- On October 18, it became known that the Pentagon is discussing the possibility of paying for "Starlink" Internet for Ukraine. At the same time, Musk informed that "SpaceX" had withdrawn its request for payment by the Pentagon for "Starlink".
- On October 21, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov informed that Ukraine has already found three sources of funding for "Starlink" for its military.
- On October 24, Elon Musk stated that "Starlink" will work in Ukraine, even if the Pentagon refuses to finance the work of the network.