Donetsk, Jan 30 - DAN. DPR mobile operator Phoenix reported a six-fold increase in the number of its customers’ calls following the shutdown of Vodafone network in the Republic’s territory, DPR Communications minister Viktor Yatsenko said on Tuesday.
“Here’s Phonex billing before and after Vodafone shutdown: 2.09 completed calls as of 8 January, compared with 13.05 million calls on 29 January,” Yatsenko said.
On 11 January, Ukraine’s Vodafone (MTS Ukraine) network collapsed in Donbass because of accidents. Vodafone restored its service in LPR on 19 January, while in the Donetsk, Vodafone signal is still unavailable.
This caused a sharp increase in the local population’s demand for Phoenix phone plans. Latest reports said some 300,000 have joined Phoenix since MTS Ukraine shutdown bringing the number of Phoenix customers to over 820,000. *jk