With power outages occurring regularly, ensuring uninterrupted internet access remains a key priority for Ukrainian telecommunications operators. Passive optical networks (xPON) play an important role in strengthening the resilience of telecommunications infrastructure. With appropriate backup power in place, these networks can continue operating even during prolonged outages.
During widespread power outages, many users lose access to their home Wi-Fi and switch to mobile internet. This places additional traffic load on mobile base stations, which may themselves be running on batteries or other backup power sources.
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, mobile network traffic can rise to ten times its normal level during power outages. Under these conditions, operators may face reduced data transmission speeds and declining service quality, even when backup power is available. Ensuring resilient connectivity therefore requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses both mobile infrastructure and the development of fixed broadband solutions capable of operating during power outages.
One of the key technologies for maintaining internet access during outages is xPON—a family of passive optical network technologies that includes GPON and XGS-PON. A defining feature of this architecture is its use of passive optical splitters, which require no electrical power. This reduces the number of active components between the operator’s equipment and the subscriber, simplifying backup power arrangements for the access network.
Provided that the active equipment has sufficient backup power, xPON networks can continue delivering services even during prolonged outages. For Ukrainian operators, this offers two benefits. First, the technology helps maintain fixed internet availability for subscribers. Second, it reduces the need for large numbers of users to switch to mobile internet, helping ease the pressure on mobile infrastructure.
Kontron (TM Iskratel) offers a portfolio of telecommunications solutions for building, upgrading and improving the operational resilience of optical networks. One of its key components is SI3000 Lumia, an optical access platform supporting GPON and XGS-PON technologies.
SI3000 Lumia enables operators to expand their broadband access infrastructure, gradually increase network capacity and introduce advanced data transmission technologies in line with subscriber needs. A key advantage of the platform is its ability to support different optical access technologies as part of a phased network upgrade strategy.
However, keeping optical infrastructure operational during blackouts requires attention to both the capabilities of the access equipment and its power supply arrangements. Although passive optical splitters require no power, the network’s active components still require electrical power.
Maintaining internet access during outages requires backup power for all critical components:
OLT (Optical Line Terminal): the operator-side equipment that connects subscribers to the optical network;
Aggregation and transport network nodes: the equipment that carries traffic towards the backbone network;
ONTs (Optical Network Terminals): the optical terminals installed at subscribers’ premises;
Wi-Fi routers: the equipment that provides users with wireless network access.
To power telecommunications equipment, Kontron offers Modular Power Supply (MPS) systems designed for use in telecommunications infrastructure.
Depending on the project configuration, these systems can form part of a comprehensive power supply architecture incorporating redundancy, battery backup and operating parameter monitoring. Actual backup runtime depends on equipment power consumption, battery capacity, the redundancy configuration and other operating conditions.
The resilience of an xPON network during blackouts therefore depends on both its passive optical architecture and a properly designed backup power system.
When mains power is unreliable, operators need timely information on equipment status, node availability, alarms and changes in operating parameters. For the SI3000 equipment family, Kontron offers centralised management tools, including SI3000 MNS (Management Node System).
These systems enable operators to monitor and manage network infrastructure, promptly identify faults and maintain efficient equipment operation. Combined with backup power, centralised monitoring helps operators respond more quickly to incidents and reduce the risk of prolonged service interruptions. Experience gained from operating telecommunications infrastructure in wartime demonstrates that network reliability cannot be achieved through individual technical solutions alone.
Maintaining connectivity during prolonged outages requires a combination of modern optical architecture, backup power, centralised management and well-organised maintenance. This approach improves fixed internet availability while also helping support mobile network resilience by reducing the load placed on mobile infrastructure during widespread power outages.
As the sole officially authorised partner of Kontron (TM Iskratel) in Ukraine, ISTEL 3000 provides Ukrainian customers with support in selecting, procuring, deploying, upgrading and maintaining the manufacturer’s telecommunications solutions.
Combining SI3000 Lumia optical access platforms, Kontron MPS power supply systems and centralised management tools enables the development of integrated technical solutions tailored to network availability, performance and resilience requirements.
During prolonged power outages, the resilience of telecommunications infrastructure depends not only on the availability of backup batteries, but also on the architecture of the entire network—from the operator’s network node to the end subscriber.
Sincerely,
The ISTEL 3000 Team