Donetsk, Jul 11 – DAN. Members of the Contact Group’s working group on economic issues have reached an agreement concerning steps to normalize Vodafone mobile network operation in the Republic, said DPR envoy to the negotiations Denis Pushilin’s press secretary Viktoria Talakina.
"The economic group continued the discussion over a full scale restoration of the Vodafone mobile network operation in the Republics. An understanding was reached concerning further steps to stabilize the connection."
In particular, the restoration requires repairs at the operator's line in Elenovka outside Donetsk, audit of the network across the Republic, and supply of spare parts for the repair.
On May 16, DPR representatives at the Minsk talks have presented their draft road map for Ukrainian mobile operator Vodafone maintenance in the Republic. The carrier endorsed the project on May 30. The document covers suggestions on staff legal status, coordination of contractors list, terms and conditions of reconstruction works and power supply payment mechanism.
On January 11, the DPR was cut off from the last Ukrainian mobile carrier MTS-Ukraine (Vodafone) services after an emergency disconnection of communication channel outside Elenovka. A DPR mobile carrier Phoenix was the only mobile services provider in the Republic. Vodafone resumed services on April 27. Ever since the network has been sporadically failing. *ot