Since the beginning of Russia's attack of Ukraine, the occupiers have been trying to damage communications, destroy TV towers and stop broadcasting TV channels. Cable networks are damaged in many regions, and providers have to restore them and provide Ukrainians with access to television and the Internet, including in bomb shelters and shelters. In some cities, such actions are the main and top priority. Datagroup-Volia has implemented a program to provide high-speed Internet shelters and bomb shelters across the country - 128 civil defense facilities have already been connected in 18 oblasts. Other providers are also joining. Detector Media spoke with telecom providers from Kyiv, Odesa, Kropyvnytskyi, Sloviansk and Ivano-Frankivsk about the situation and the main problems in these regions.

Kyiv-based Kosmonova provides Internet services and telephony and data channels. After February 24, most employees moved to remote work, but all those responsible for maintaining the infrastructure are on duty in the office. Regular repair crews work as usual. "Of course, someone was mobilized, someone is now evacuating their relatives. We hope that with the assistance of our industry associations and the Ministry of Finance there will be a response from the Ministry of Defense to our requests for reservations from the mobilization of employees responsible for ensuring the operation of telecommunications networks. This initiative should stop the outflow of critical personnel," said Maksym Somochkin, the company's managing partner.

Kosmonova focused on supporting the network and connecting bomb shelters to the Internet. There have been significantly fewer applications for apartments and offices. Connecting to the Internet of shelters costs up to two thousand hryvnias: mostly equipment costs. However, according to Maxim, now the bomb shelters are connected to the Internet in cooperation with local residents: "We now have more cases when subscribers provide their routers." To date, the company has only one case of damage to the network due to hostilities. The residential complex near the city remained without internet and television during the day. Due to the fighting, the company's specialists could not get into the house immediately.

However, the war, according to Somochkin, contributes to the consolidation of the industry, and the history of damage to the network has proved it. “Unable to repair our own network, we turned to our Datagroup colleagues and they provided us with a transport channel. So we restored the services faster. This is despite the fact that it is on this object that we have fierce competition with this company. And in the conditions of ordinary life such help would be impossible, but now business thinks not of commercial benefit, and of social mission of information support of people in the conditions of war. We have also agreed with a number of other operators to insure each other in case of damage during hostilities,” he said.

Also, given the situation in the country, the company decided not to disconnect subscribers for non-payment. However, such a decision in the industry is debatable and not all providers are ready to take such steps. Kosmonova also does not know how long it will be possible to last without a subscription fee, so it urges not to neglect the payments of all those who can make them.

Kropyvnytskyi company Storm TV provides cable TV, IPTV and Internet services. According to the owner of the company Kostiantin Makarenko, the company has almost no serious damage to networks, and those that arise, can be quickly restored. Storm TV also helps to set up a digital signal in T2. “We help and provide transport through our networks between shopping centers within the region with the help of wired and wireless technologies. We continue to broadcast both national and local channels," he said.

Like Kosmonov, the company provides services even to those who are unable to pay on time, and at its own expense connects to the Internet shelter. "Every day we receive at least two or three requests for Internet shelter. First of all, the terrorist defense, government agencies, etc. are asking for this. In 2014, when the war broke out, we kept in touch with government agencies for two years. We were paid for the services later, and that was not the money. But we supported the network, and we will do the same as much as necessary," said Makarenko.

In Sloviansk, where the CDC company operates, the first weeks of the war were relatively quiet - there was no shelling. Two main lines were damaged. The company provides Internet services, but is a partner of television providers and provides them with a transport channel. "Some services in people may work poorly, but OTT (Sweet.TV , Megogo) work well - in our region, their servers are installed. Ukrainian television works smoothly," said company representative Serhiy Kushnaryov.

Today, the first problem for providers in the region is the lack of fuel and staffing problems. Because, as all over Ukraine, many people leave and evacuate their families. "We have a supply of materials to repair damaged networks, but only for a month. What will happen next is still unclear. We do not make new connections so as not to waste materials. Another problem is people's salaries. Shops are almost closed, terminals too. There is not much money in cash,” said Serhiy. He recalls that in 2014, when the war broke out, his company also provided free services for two months, and it was a very difficult period. That is why he is convinced that it is not worth providing services for free: "I would urge my colleagues not to turn on the Internet for free. This is not a very important service - we have mobile communication, you can make collective access points to wireless Internet (we have squares, parks, hospitals, schools, etc.). But providers have fuel costs, staff salaries, and network repairs. Everyone wants the connection to work, but it can't work for free. Our employees in the shops will not be given free bread for the fact that we provide free internet.”

Region TV and Radio Company provides Internet, analog cable and IPTV services in Odesa and the region. According to the company's representative Liudmila Kokorovets, the signal in this region disappeared only for a short time. "In the Odesa region, we had damage to the network. But we will fix it. We have stocks of materials and equipment, Mortelecom works, where we make purchases,” she says. According to Liudmila, the companies of the industry are uniting to reduce the loss of communication. "We have no competitors now because we have united. If one line is damaged, we take a reserve from another company. All are one," she said. Region is ready to provide credit to subscribers, but, according to Lyudmila, most pay. And this makes it possible to pay salaries to employees. The company also connects the Internet to bomb shelters, but so far there have been only a few such applications.

The situation in Ivano-Frankivsk is different: due to the large number of IDPs, Gallstream connects new subscribers every day. "People are moving into apartments that were empty, as well as attics. We try to keep everyone connected. We provide both the Internet and television. There is much more demand for the Internet. We are regrouping and working one day, because no one knows what will happen tomorrow,” said Volodymyr Tsypan, one of the company's founders. According to him, the company is now working seven days a week and has introduced round-the-clock shifts to respond to unpredictable situations: "People are wary, tense, but we are trying to find a way out of the situation. Everyone needs communication."