Main points
- Vodafone is switching to a bundled pricing model for international calls from May 1, 2026, which means an increase in the cost of short calls.
- Prices for SMS in roaming will increase to 6 hryvnias per message, while previously they cost 3 hryvnias for 10 messages.
Vodafone mobile tariff prices have increased sharply since May 1 / Pexels
Mobile operator Vodafone is updating its international communication and roaming conditions from May 1, 2026. The changes concern the cost of calls to EU countries, other regions of the world, as well as SMS message rates.
Vodafone mobile tariffs: what changes from May 1?
The operator is switching to a package pricing model for calls abroad, writes “News. LIVE”.
The biggest changes will affect calls to European Union countries. Now outgoing calls from Ukraine to 27 EU countries and between them will cost 30 hryvnias for 30 minutes per day. Up to 20 such packages can be connected during the day. This zone includes Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain and other EU countries.
Additionally, the cost of SMS in roaming is changing. Messages from EU countries to other destinations (except Ukraine) will cost 6 hryvnias per SMS. Before the changes, the tariff cost 3 hryvnias for 10 pieces, which means an actual increase in cost several times.
- Separately, Vodafone is updating rates for calls to Zone 2 countries – the USA, Canada, the UK, Switzerland and others. Here, a package of 30 hryvnias for 15 minutes per day will be valid, with the possibility of using up to 20 packages. After that, the cost increases to 5 hryvnias per minute.
- Calls to Zone 3 countries, including Australia, China, and India, are even more expensive . The tariff here is 30 hryvnias for 5 minutes, after which calls cost 10 hryvnias per minute.
The company explains the model as a transition to a package system of international communication, but in reality this means that short and irregular calls may become more expensive for users. At the same time, for active subscribers with a large volume of international calls, the new packages may remain more profitable.
In a broader context, these changes fit into the general trend of mobile operators to complicate tariff models and encourage the use of Internet messengers instead of classic calls and SMS.
What does this mean for Vodafone subscribers?
In fact, Vodafone continues to move towards a rigid package pricing model for international calls. This has several consequences:
- Rising cost of short calls abroad
- Tariff system complications due to packages
- Increase in SMS prices in roaming
- Encouraging users to switch to messengers
- Reducing benefits for those who rarely use international communication
Analytically, this looks like a move towards optimizing the operator's revenues against the backdrop of stable demand for international communication services.
How are Vodafone tariff prices formed?
The company's CEO, Olga Ustinova, explained how the price is formed and why it is unlikely to be significantly lower, OBOZ writes.
The authorities understand responsibility and that it is critical for people. Let's look at the numbers: a tariff of 400 hryvnias per month is the price of three or four cups of coffee in Kyiv. For this money, we provide a lot of services for a whole month: an incredible amount of traffic, unlimited voice, the ability to use the “Roaming like at home” service abroad without additional fees,
– says Ustinova.
According to her, Vodafone's business really remains profitable. The margin level reaches about 50%. However, a significant part of these funds does not remain “net earnings”. More than a third – more than 33% – the company is forced to constantly invest in supporting and developing the network.
If we didn't earn from tariffs, we wouldn't be able to buy generators… We buy all base stations and equipment in dollars because there are no local suppliers. When the exchange rate or the cost of electricity increases, our costs skyrocket,
– explained Ustinova.
In fact, we are talking about constant costs for equipment, which depends on the exchange rate, as well as for energy supply – especially critical during power outages. The company also emphasizes that current tariffs are not just a desire to earn more, but the need to ensure stable communication, in particular during blackouts.
Why are mobile phone tariffs increasing in Ukraine and Europe?
Market participants explain that this is not only a commercial decision, but also an issue of infrastructure stability in conditions of war and economic pressure. According to economist and telecom market expert Anatoly Amelin, Ukrainian mobile communications today demonstrate a quality that often exceeds the performance of European and even American operators.
Anatoly Amelin
Telecom market expert
Ukrainian mobile Internet and communication are head and shoulders above European and even more so American! Seriously. In Berlin, I caught 4G intermittently. In the city center! In Washington, the speed sometimes made me nervously refresh the page.
At the same time, the price of mobile communications in Ukraine remains one of the lowest in the world. As of the beginning of 2026, the average cost of tariffs with a mobile Internet package of 20-40 GB is about 7-8.5 euros per month. For comparison: in Germany, similar services cost 30-40 euros, in France – about 20 euros, in Poland – 10-12 euros.
International studies also confirm this difference: the cost of 1 GB of mobile Internet in Ukraine is about $0.27, while in Germany it is over $2, and in Switzerland it is over $7. According to this indicator, Ukraine is among the ten countries with the cheapest mobile Internet in the world.
However, the low price also has a downside. Over the past two years, Ukrainian operators have been forced to invest significantly in the energy independence of the network and its restoration after shelling.
Mobile communication prices in different countries / Infographics from Anatoly Amelin's Facebook
What Ukrainian operators have built over the past two years has no analogues in the world. Nowhere. Not in any country(!): 100% of base stations – with batteries… at least 25% of stations in each region – with generators for 72 hours,
– explains Ameline.
In general, the market is talking about billions of dollars in expenses, including the purchase of thousands of generators and hundreds of thousands of batteries.
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