Datagroup-Volia telecommunications company invests UAH 1.5 billion in a large-scale project to replace DOCSIS and FTTB technology with more energy-efficient GPON. This will allow Internet consumers to receive from 1 to 10 Gbps, and companies to reduce electricity costs.
The management decided to start with the cities where there is a concentration of DOCSIS technology, namely Kyiv, Vinnytsia and Lviv. However, the plans were changed in view of recent events, and Kharkiv was added to the list of priority projects. The CEO of Datagroup-Volia said this on April 23 during a speech at the presentation of the work of the UN Global Compact in Kyiv.
GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) is considered a technology of gigabit speeds. The new equipment enables the client to receive from 1 to 10 Gbit/s, and potentially up to 50 Gbit/s. In addition, according to Mykhailo Shelemba, due to the modernization, the company can reduce the total electricity consumption by 3 MW/h. For a better understanding, the head of the company noted that this is enough to power 2 Datagroup-Volia data centers. First of all, the works will be carried out in Kyiv and Vinnytsia , because they decided to start with the cities in which there is a concentration of DOCSIS technology. Other cities have FTTB technology, which is between DOCSIS and GPON in terms of energy efficiency.
“Now we are talking about 75-100 thousand customers, whom we want to transfer to this technology already this year. Accordingly, we will gain momentum and increase the volume of work every year,” says Shelemba.
However, modernization will also be carried out in Kharkiv, despite the fact that subscribers there use FTTB technology. Shelemba explained that this city was not included in the priority plan, but in view of recent events, the company's management decided to allocate additional funds for modernization works in Kharkiv as well – about UAH 100 million. In this way, the company wants to prepare the city for more difficult periods of blackouts. At least 40,000-50,000 Kharkiv residents are planned to be transferred to the new technology by the end of the year. Preparatory work was launched in early April, and modernization will begin in May 2024.. This service will be free for subscribers. The company plans to finish all the works in three years and is laying down a budget of UAH 1.5 billion for this.
We will remind you that Datagroup-Volia is currently in the process of closing the deal on the purchase of lifecell. The companies are merging into a new holding that will belong to the NJJ consortium. Mykhailo Shelemba spoke about the further stages of unification. According to him, the management of the companies is waiting for the decision of the Antimonopoly Committee, and there is every chance to close the deal in May 2024. Next, planned work will begin on unifying networks and updating strategic initiatives. The most difficult and longest stage is the integration of IT systems, which can last 2-3 years. However, the CEO of the company assures: subscribers will feel the effect much faster.
“The Pareto principle will apply here: 80% of the effect is achieved with 20-30% of time and effort. Therefore, of course, we will be able to implement some benefits: a triple package and additional opportunities for customers, increasing the fault tolerance of networks — all of this much faster,” adds Mykhailo Shelemba.