When going to Ukraine, everyone wants to stay in touch 24/7 in order to freely communicate with those people who are dear to them. But it is worth considering that Russian cellular companies, when providing roaming, force you to pay a lot of money for it, as a result of which mobile communications in Ukraine turn out to be very expensive for tourists and they have to refuse communication or significantly save on it, which affects the comfort of their stay in the country. But there is a way out - you can use tourist SIM cards of Ukraine, which are represented by three operators: Kyivstar, Vodafone, Lifecell, each of them will be considered in more detail. They all have their own advantages and certain service packages, among which everyone will find a suitable option for themselves.
Ukrainian mobile operator codes
In the process of development of cellular communications, many operators appeared, which subsequently grew and became popular, either integrated into other companies, or completely left the market. Therefore, modern companies can have several codes at once. Next, we will consider all the operators and describe their brief history.
Vodafone
Vodafone Ukraine is a leading company that provides customers with high-speed 3G and 4G Internet services and mobile communications. This operator has 4 network codes:
- 50 (+38050) – The code appeared during the time of UMC, but was later renamed MTS. As a result, after the latest changes, the numbers were assigned to Vodafone Ukraine.
- 66 (+38066) – Previously, these codes belonged to and were issued to young subscribers in honor of a special promotion.
- 95 (+38095) – Previously it was tied to the Sim-Sim operator, but after integration with MTS it was no longer issued to users.
- 99 (+38099) – Also belonged to.
Kyivstar (Kyivstar)
Currently, the Kyivstar company serves more than 26 million subscribers and covers all cities of Ukraine and most rural areas. It has 5 network codes:
- 67 (+38067) – Belongs to the Kyivstar company since its founding. At the moment, you can purchase a number with this code only on contact terms.
- 68 (+38068) – Previously, this code was assigned to the Ukrainian branch of Beeline, but in 2010 it was integrated into Kyivstar.
- 96 (+38096) – Available both for regular Kyivstar clients and for the Djuice and Ace&Base brands.
- 97 (+38097) – Initially, this code was created to promote the virtual operator Djuice, but in 2013 this collaboration was completed. The code was also issued to Ace&Base clients as part of youth tariffs, but in 2006 there was a merger with the Kyivstar office.
- 98 (+38098) – Another code that was originally assigned to Kyivstar and was issued with the Mobilych tariff. The action was completed in 2009.
Where to buy a SIM card
In Ukraine, it is convenient to use cards because you do not need to link it to your passport. In any season, in places with high traffic, it is possible to purchase a card. If you choose this method, you need to immediately top up your account at the point of purchase.
Most operators provide the opportunity to purchase immediately on the website, as well as at all points of sale of products. Easy to buy at the kiosk.
Upon your first Google search, you will see thousands of links to purchase cards. You should be careful here: it’s better to go to the store one more time, since the card may be used, stolen, blocked or with a debt. Check this before purchasing a card from your own hands.
There is a huge selection even in card sizes. You can trim it at a licensed cellular store. Sellers help with data recovery, replacement of numbers, and resolve issues. Hence, it is very easy to purchase and install a SIM card.
How to call a Ukrainian landline number from abroad
To call a home phone in Ukraine, use the following instructions:
- Press "8" to access intercity.
- After the dial tone, enter “10” to activate an international call.
- Next, dial the international code of Ukraine “380”.
- Then enter the code of the desired city (they are listed below).
- And only after that dial the subscriber’s city number.
It should look like this:
- 8-10-380-45-ХХХ-ХХ-ХХ – an example of a Kyiv number.
Here are the telephone codes for regional centers:
- Vinnitsa – 38043;
- Dnepr – 38056;
- Donetsk – 38062;
- Zhytomyr – 38041;
- Zaporozhye – 38061;
- Ivano-Frankivsk – 38034;
- Kyiv – 38044 or 38045;
- Kropyvnytskyi – 38052;
- Lugansk – 38064;
- Lutsk – 38033;
- Lviv – 38032;
- Nikolaev – 38051;
- Odessa – 38048;
- Poltava – 38053;
- Rivne – 38036;
- Sumy – 38054;
- Ternopil – 38035;
- Uzhgorod – 38031;
- Kharkov – 38057;
- Kherson – 38055;
- Khmelnitsky – 38038;
- Cherkasy – 38047;
- Chernigov – 38046;
- Chernivtsi – 38037.
Who called?
Table of codes of mobile operators in Ukraine
| № | Operator name | Mobile codes operators |
| 1 | Kyivstar | 067, 096, 097, 098 |
| 2 | Vodafone (MTS) | 050, 066, 095, 099 |
| 3 | Lifecell (Life) | 063, 073, 093 |
| 4 | Fraudulent | 070, 080, 090, 056, 057 |
| 5 | Trimob, PeopleNet, Intertelecom | 091, 092, 094 |
Is the connection being jammed or not?
They almost never jam anywhere. Even when the president arrives, the connection does not fall off, the GPS does not go crazy and, by the way, the roads are not blocked.
In my memory (the last 4 years), mobile communications were jammed only on the anniversary of the events of May 2, but strictly in places where rallies were held. They were afraid of provocations and “surprises” that could be undermined from a smartphone. After a couple of hours everything was restored.
Lifecell
This Ukrainian operator has the smallest subscriber base of the three, but the company confidently competes with Kyivstar and Vodafone. Largely thanks not only to the extensive coverage network, but also to a whole list of interesting tariffs at competitively affordable prices. For example, the cheapest Life tariff involves a monthly fee of only 40 hryvnia per month.
Lifecell tariffs
The operator’s catalog has a lot of offers, but we’ll start with the most affordable. This tariff is created for users who practically do not use the Internet and rarely make calls. Suitable for pensioners and schoolchildren who have just started using a mobile phone. The Plus package further expands the capabilities.
| Name | Simply Life |
| Internet traffic, GB | 1 |
| Calls within Ukraine, free minutes | 250 |
| Unlimited access to social networks | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter |
| Basic cost | 60 |
| Cost if the number was transferred to LifeCell | 40 |
| How to activate | *565# |
This package is available in two versions - standard and plus. The tariff can be called the golden mean for those who make a lot of calls and periodically go online.
| Name | Smart Life | Smart Life with the “plus” package |
| Internet traffic, GB | 20 | 25 |
| Calls within Ukraine, free minutes | 750 | 1250 |
| Unlimited access to social networks | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter | |
| Lifebox cloud, GB | 50 | |
| Basic cost | 120 | 150 |
| Cost if the number was transferred to LifeCell | 80 | 110 |
| How to activate | *575# | *575# plus *165# |
Smart Life also has a small 5% cashback with Fishka. Campus program students also receive a 10% discount on tariff fees.
How to find out your own number and tariff?
If you are interested in how to determine the tariff and number in Lifecell, then just dial the code *161#. The response message will contain your number in international format, as well as the name of the active tariff. You can always get detailed information about it on the official website. Like other major operators, Life offers to download an application for smartphones on Android and iOS
– My lifecell. It also displays information about your number, tariff and more.
How can I check my account and additional services in Life?
You can find out your balance in several ways:
- combination *111# – displays the current account status;
- SIM card menu - click on Balans;
- launch the My lifecell application - the account is indicated at the top of the start page.
You can find out in detail about additional services provided in different sections of the application or by using the USSD code *121#. All requests are absolutely free for any subscribers.
How to send “homeless people” to Lifecell?
Life also offers subscribers the opportunity to send a free request with the text “Call me back.” To do this, just dial the code *123*3*380YYYYYYYYY# and call. As soon as the request is delivered, you will receive a corresponding message in response.
There is an alternative way through the menu at *123#. In the list that opens, you need to select the “In touch” block and the “Call me back” subsection (the words will be written in Latin). Then all you have to do is enter the number in 380 format. You can send an unlimited number of requests, but only the first five will be free. For all the rest you will have to pay 10 kopecks.
Is it possible to borrow from Life?
The operator offers to borrow funds - from 10 to 250 hryvnia, depending on how long you have been using the connection and how much you have topped up over the last month. You can make a request in several ways:
- dial *123# and go to the “Account Management” block, then “Additional money”;
- dial the combination *117*1#;
- call the operator at 5433 and make a request in person;
- through a proprietary application.
The money issued will be valid for 7 days. The service will be activated every time the account runs out of funds, and the fee for use depends on the loan amount and ranges from 3-50 hryvnia.
Vodafone
As in the case of Kyivstar, Vodafone offers customers tariffs with a contract and prepayment. If you prefer Vodafone, we will look at the tariffs of this operator in detail in the following subsections.
Vodafone tariffs
Vodafone's tariffs are combined into several lines, and the names differ only by one letter. For example, the operator offers Red M, Red S and others. Each of them has its own advantages. One is made for those who need constant access to the Internet, the other is for traveling people. To make it easier for you to navigate, we have collected all the data in a table:
| Name | Red L | Red M | Red XL | Red XXL |
| Calls within Vodafone | Unlimited | |||
| Internet traffic, GB | 20 | 12 | Unlimited | |
| Calls outside the Vodafone network, minutes | 200 | 150 | 350 | 500 |
| Calls abroad, free minutes | 50 | – | 100 | 150 |
| SMS, pieces | 200 | 150 | 350 | 500 |
| Cost per month, hryvnia | 180 | 130 | 250 | 350 |
| Bonus | – | – | – | 10 minutes in roaming |
The entire RED line refers to contract tariffs, so to apply for them you must provide your passport details. Red M is very popular as it is the cheapest Vodafone tariff in this group.
The Internet is used from 2G to 4G, depending on the features of the smartphone and network availability. If you use up the given limits, you will be charged separately for Internet access, SMS and calls abroad. Tariff information is described in detail on the company’s website.
To switch to one of the RED tariffs, you need to come to the communication center with your passport and TIN. Users who are already on contract can use the combination *550*100#.
How to find out your Vodafone number?
The operator offers a couple of ways in which subscribers can find out their SIM card number. The first is to use the My Vodafone smartphone app. Information about the balance, remaining minutes and megabytes, as well as the “My number” field will immediately appear on the start screen.
Subscribers can also make a quick request using the combination *161#. Full information including PIN code and PUK is provided in the starter pack, inside which the SIM was inserted. Be sure to save it.
Until what date is my number active?
All mobile operators allow users to find out the validity period of not only their tariff, but also the number as a whole. If you are a Vodafone subscriber, there are two main ways to obtain this information:
- Dial *101#. After the balance, the system will display the specific date your number is valid until.
- Use My Vodafone. You need to go to the “All numbers” section and then select your number. The “Details” block will indicate the activation and expiration dates, as well as the status of the bonus account.
The activity of the number is extended for a year when replenishing the account from 5 hryvnia.
Call me back feature in Vodafone
You can ask another person to call you using this useful feature. To send a request, dial *104*number#. The request will be sent in Ukrainian, but you can also change this. The message will be written in Russian if you add *02# at the end after the number, and using the code *03# you can send a text in English. There are 7 attempts per day.
Be careful and do not call back unknown numbers. Fraudsters can use this to “hijack” your number through your operator, providing information about outgoing calls.
How to send money to Vodafone?
Vodafone subscribers can send money to each other. To do this, you need to dial the combination *150*recipient_number*amount#. After this, an SMS with a confirmation code will be sent to your number. It must be approved - dial *150*code# and call. However, there are several restrictions on transferring money:
- A one-time transfer of no more than 10 hryvnia is allowed;
- you can perform no more than 20 operations per day;
- There should be more than 5 hryvnia left on the account after the transfer;
- the cost of the service is 3 hryvnia.
All this is done to combat scammers.
Out of range
Communication problems are rather local. For example, if you live in a private sector and you or your neighbors have a high concrete fence, then on the ground floor there may simply be no fishing at all. Difficulties often occur in large shopping complexes like City, Europe, etc.
In addition, on the outskirts, 3G Internet sometimes turns off if the area is left without electricity. And then you remember how people after WAP considered GPRS a great achievement of mankind.
And on the beaches there are no problems with communication. I often take my laptop with me to the sea and distribute the Internet to it from my smartphone, everything works fine, the speed is good. Last year, many people caught Pokemon on the beaches in Pokemon Go, and also without interruptions in communication.
Other information
You should be extremely careful when a call comes from the direction 070, 080 or 090. Although these numbers are often used by consulting companies and dealers, they often appear in fraudulent schemes and other frauds.
Combinations for landline numbers can be identified as a separate group. Thus, each region of Ukraine has its own code identifier. For example, for Kyiv it is 044.
0800 – if the number begins with these numbers, it is worth knowing that the call will be paid for by the receiving party, that is, it will be free for the subscriber.
If the call is made to the operator code 0900, it is worth knowing that for the outgoing side it will be paid. You will have to pay to call most of the numbers in this group.
The service for determining the subscriber's region by phone number will help you quickly find out the operator code. It is very convenient and allows you to determine in a matter of seconds who is calling and from where.
Kyivstar
All Kyivstar tariffs can be divided into two main categories - prepayment and contract. The first allow you to flexibly regulate your expenses, but when you reach a zero balance, you cannot make calls or use other services. You can buy such a package without a passport. The contract requires payment for the entire month at once and is drawn up using passport data. In return, you can leave a small minus, but continue to use the services.
We will look at Kyivstar tariffs that are current at the beginning of 2021. Please note that some of these may not be available in certain regions.
Kyivstar tariffs
The Smart line allows you to fully enjoy both calls and Internet access. The operator’s range includes both inexpensive offers for ordinary users and business solutions:
| Name | Smart | Smart+ | SmartMax | SmartBusiness |
| Calls within Kyivstar | Unlimited | |||
| Internet traffic, GB | 12 GB | Unlimited | ||
| Calls outside the Kyivstar network, minutes | 120 | 180 | 300 | 1000 |
| Calls abroad, free minutes | ||||
| SMS, pieces | 120 | 180 | 300 | 1000 |
| Cost per month, hryvnia | 150 | 225 | 300 | 600 |
| Bonus | Light TV package, Star Guard Lite smartphone application, free access to social networks and instant messengers | TV Light package, Star Guard Lite smartphone application, digital signature, additional SIM for a tablet with the same number and other bonuses | ||
To activate tariffs, you need to come with your passport to the Kyivstar brand store. If you are already a contract user, you can migrate using the combination 477*1 or use your My Kyivstar personal account. Moreover, the first month will be at a reduced price - only 100 hryvnia. Please note that in fact, Kyivstar unlimited internet has a limit of 40 GB.
Calls and Internet for parents
The company also provided Kyivstar packages for older people or for those who only care about calls within the network. This block contains the cheapest Kyivstar tariff for pensioners. The emphasis can be placed either on calls or on Internet access.
| Name | Internet for parents | Calls for parents |
| Calls within Kyivstar | Unlimited | |
| Internet traffic, GB | 6 | 0,5 |
| Calls outside the Kyivstar network, minutes | – | 60 |
| Calls abroad, free minutes | – | – |
| Cost per month, hryvnia | 60 | 100 |
| Bonus | TV package Light, Doctor Online, unlimited access to 20 services: social networks, instant messengers | TV package Light 100+ channels, home Internet 100 Mbit/s |
An important nuance is that only users over 60 years old can switch to these tariffs. Accordingly, it will not be possible to activate it remotely - you will have to come to the office in any case. We have presented the most popular offers from Kyivstar - you can always see the current tariffs on the official website.
How to find out your own number?
Many users do not always know their number by heart, especially if the SIM card is completely new. To find out your number, it is not at all necessary to call the operator - there are two main ways to do this:
- Use code *161# and press call. This is a standard combination in the Kyivstar network, which will allow you to determine your number in a few seconds. Network connection required.
- Study the documentation. Typically, a SIM card is supplied with documentation, which indicates not only the full number, but also important data such as factory PIN and PUK codes.
If you often forget your own number, write it down in your phone's address book for convenience.
How to check your account and SIM card expiration date?
If you need a package under the Kyivstar agreement, you can always find out the current tariffs on the official website. However, many people ask the question: how long does each specific SIM card last? For prepayment, this is 365 days from the date of replenishment of the account, outgoing call or receipt of any SMS. Contract tariffs have an unlimited validity period, but the operator has the right to stop the package if there has been no activity on the number for more than 60 days.
You can check until what date and year your number is valid using the combination *111#. It is also used to check the account status. If for some reason there is no connection, then if you have Internet access, you can use the “My Kyivstar” application. The main page will contain information about the balance, tariff name and other bonuses.
How to transfer money to Kyivstar?
The operator offers money transfer services. Any subscriber can transfer funds from his own account to the account of another person in the Kyivstar network. For prepaid tariffs, for this you need to spend at least 40 hryvnia from the moment the SIM card is activated. To make a transfer you only need three steps:
1. Make a request for a transfer in the format *124*SUM*380ХХХХХХХХХ# and make a call. The request requires specifying an amount up to 999 hryvnia.
2. Confirm actions. If the transfer is more than 20 hryvnia, an SMS with a code will be sent to your number. You need to take a response action - just dial *125# and call.
3. Check the balance and make sure that the money has been withdrawn.
When transferring to Kyivstar numbers, a commission of two hryvnia is taken. If you want to send funds to Life, Vodafone or other operators, a 3% commission will be charged.
How to reset the “homeless” - call me back?
Have you run out of funds in your account, but need to urgently contact a person? You can send a free text message asking for a call back to your number. To do this, use the standard USSD command *130*380YYYYYYYYY#.
The service can be used free of charge exactly 8 times a month. Starting from the ninth, 10 kopecks will be withdrawn from the account for each request. “Call me back” does not need to be activated - it is active in absolutely any basic tariff.
You can also always contact a person online. For example, the operator does not offer Kyivstar tariffs without the Internet - even the cheapest package for pensioners has 100 MB of traffic.
