REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF KYIVSTAR MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK IN WESTERN UKRAINE

The mobile network (also called cellular network) is an important part of the general communication network of society, which provides interaction both between individuals and entire human communities. Mobile phones do our live easier and more convenient but the general public has only the most general ideas about the functioning of mobile communication networks. There are three most important things for mobile phone users in today's world: coverage, speed and affordability. In our article we will focus on the first component - mobile network coverage. The aim of the study is to determine the spatial features of the Kyivstar mobile network in Western Ukraine, and the main task is to analyze, based on open data, the coverage of the Kyivstar mobile network in the territorial units of Western Ukraine. The source base of the research is the data of the Kyivstar mobile communications operator. The analysis of mobile communication networks in our study was carried out on the following indicators: the area of the territory that covered by the network (mobile network area); the share of the territory that covered by the network (network coverage share). Kyivstar is the largest mobile operator in Western Ukraine both by the number of subscribers and by the area of 4G network. The Kyivstar 3G network covers only areas with a high population concentration. The Kyivstar 4G network coverage is spread over 69.9% of Western Ukraine and is absent only in the Ukrainian Carpathians and in the forest areas in the north-west of the study area. The highest rates of Kyivstar 4G network distribution are typical for the biggest cities. The northern part of Western Ukraine has the highest Kyivstar mobile coverage, and the Ukrainian Carpathians the lowest.