Vodafone UK was the first major mobile network operator (MNO) to announce the move as chief executive Ahmed Essam Shelbaya said: "Effective immediately, Vodafone UK is crediting all calls to Ukraine and waiving any roaming charges for Vodafone UK customers currently in Ukraine…we stand in solidarity with all Ukrainian people at this worrying time."
The move comes as Russian troops push further into Ukraine, and local telecoms company Mediana has reportedly been taken offline. In Ukraine, fellow local telecoms company Triolan announced that it will temporarily be offering internet services in the country for free, after services in Kharkiv were disrupted.
Fellow telecoms giant Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) followed suit and waived roaming charges alongside introducing free calls to Ukraine provisionally until 6 March. A spokesperson for the company said: “As the situation continues to unfold, we recognise that connectivity will play a crucial role and we want to provide support to those who need it.”
EE has also made calls, texts and data to and from the Ukraine region free from today and warned that “signal in the area might be affected by damage to local networks and equipment”.
Finally, Three UK removed roaming charges anywhere in Ukraine, and announced that “charges associated with calls and texts from the UK to Ukraine will be credited back”.
For our customers in Ukraine or those contacting loved ones from the UK, we're here to help in any way we can.
We have removed roaming charges anywhere in Ukraine, and charges associated with calls and texts from the UK to Ukraine will be credited back to your account.
— Three UK (@ThreeUK) February 25, 2022
