Headline: Ukraine‘s Number Porting Skyrockets in 2024: A Shift Towards Lifecell
Subhead: Ukrainians increased mobile number porting by 2.3 times in 2024, with "Kyivstar" seeing the most outflows and Lifecell being the top choice for incoming numbers.
In a significant shift in Ukraine’s telecommunications landscape, Ukrainians in 2024 sharply increased the porting of their mobile numbers from one operator to another. According to the National Commission for State Regulation of Communications and Informatization (NKRCI), the number ofported numbers jumped by 2.3 times compared to 2023, reaching 340,630.
The most notable outflow was from "Kyivstar," with 207,100 numbers ported, accounting for 60% of the total. Interestingly, Lifecell received the majority of theseported numbers, with 79% of all migrations landing on their network.
Here’s a breakdown of number porting from other major operators:
- Vodafone: 109,530 numbers (32% of total outflows)
- Lifecell: 22,880 numbers (6.7% of total outflows)
Lifecell emerged as the most popular choice for incoming numbers, with 269,760 Ukrainians migrating to their network – a whopping 79% of all inbound migrations. Vodafone followed with 54,110 numbers (15.88%), while "Kyivstar" received 16,160 numbers (4.7%).
This trend gained momentum towards the end of 2024, leading to a temporary disruption in the number porting service. Centralised Database, administered by the Ukrainian State Center for Radio Frequencies (UCRF), reported that 10,000 "Kyivstar" customers and 2,800 Vodafone users requested to join Lifecell between Dec 10 and 18. On Dec 16 alone, UCRF received 17,012 porting requests, nearly four times the average daily load of the Centralised Database.
The sudden surge in number porting requests to Lifecell was primarily attributed to increased scrutiny of operator fees. On Dec 6, "Kyivstar" announced a 25% average tariff hike, and on Dec 16, Vodafone declared a 37% increase. Conversely, Lifecell introduced the new "LifeSet М" tariff, bundling mobile services, home internet, and TV at a competitive price of UAH 175 (≈USD 4.3) for four weeks.
This development highlights the growing demand for transparency and affordability in Ukraine’s telecom market. As consumers become more savvy and operators face increasing pressure to cut costs, expect further shifts in number porting trends in the coming years.
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