In less than one year, Starlink Mobile Connects 11 Million People Across VEON’s Three High Growth Markets 

• In less than one year since the service launched in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh, the direct-to-device service has connected a combined 11 million people 
• From Ukraine to Central Asia and South Asia, the service has the potential to reach more than 40 million people across VEON’s footprint

Dubai, New York and Starbase, 19 October 2026 – VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator, and Starlink Mobile today announced that more than 11 million unique VEON customers have now connected to the direct-to-device service at least once in locations where cell signal cannot reach. VEON customers can use satellite-ready apps, share location, and send messages via apps and SMS on their existing LTE compatible phones.

VEON is the first operator group globally to launch Starlink Mobile across three markets. The service has commercially launched in Ukraine with Kyivstar, Kazakhstan with Beeline and most recently in Bangladesh with Banglalink – all within a year since the agreement was signed in November 2025.

• Ukraine – Kyivstar (Nasdaq: KYIV) launched Starlink Mobile on 24 November 2025, the first such service in Europe. It is free to all of Kyivstar’s approximately 15.5 million 4G smartphone users.

• Kazakhstan – Beeline Kazakhstan launched on 29 September 2026 to millions of customers as the country’s first Starlink Mobile operator. The service was developed with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, and is offered free during an initial period.

• Bangladesh – Banglalink launched on 9 October 2026 to 20 million customers, making Bangladesh the first country in South Asia to offer the satellite-to-mobile service, which can be activated through the MyBL super app, with the RYZE app to follow.

The milestone marks a shift in how the world connects. By combining Starlink Mobile satellites in low-Earth orbit with terrestrial mobile networks, VEON and Starlink are enabling existing phones with reliable connectivity in the mountains, on remote highways and at sea, and in places where ground networks have been damaged or knocked out by disaster, conflict or long power outages.

VEON works with leading U.S. technology companies, such as Starlink, to extend the American technology ecosystem, digital access and resilient infrastructure to high-growth markets.

The impact goes well beyond staying in touch. Reliable, affordable connectivity opens access to education, information, digital services. It provides a communication line of safety in  some of the world’s most underserved markets. In Ukraine, Kyivstar has seen the heaviest use in the south and east of the country, where connectivity is a matter of personal safety. In Bangladesh, the service is designed to keep people reachable during cyclones, floods and long power outages.

Starlink Mobile works with existing 4G/LTE smartphones in open areas with a clear view of the sky. Customers can send messages, use essential apps and share their location when no terrestrial signal is available.

“In less than a year, more than 11 million people have taken out their own phone, with no signal anywhere in sight, and connected through a Starlink Mobile satellite overhead. A family in eastern Ukraine, a herder on the Kazakh steppe, a fisherman in the Bay of Bengal. This is American space technology changing lives in real time,” said Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of VEON Group. “And we are just getting started. We intend to put it in every hand, in every corner of every market we serve.”

About VEON

VEON is a digital operator that provides connectivity and digital services to over 150 million connectivity users and more than 228 million digital customers. Operating across five countries that are home to 550 million consumers, more than 6% of the world's population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.veon.com.

About Starlink Mobile

Starlink Mobile is the world’s only and largest constellation with 650 launched satellites in low-Earth orbit that delivers data, voice, video and messaging to devices in remote locations. Connecting millions of customers across six continents, Starlink satellites work with existing LTE phones wherever you can see the sky. Acting like a cell phone tower in space with the most advanced phased array antennas in the world that connect seamlessly across the Starlink network over lasers to any point in the globe, it enables network integration similar to a standard roaming partner. Starlink is the world’s largest 4G coverage provider and partners with Mobile Network Operators all over the world. Learn more here and follow @Starlink on X.

Disclaimer
This release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These include statements about VEON’s and Starlink’s plans to expand satellite-to-mobile services, the availability and adoption of these services in VEON’s markets, the number of people these services may reach, and related regulatory approvals. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts and can often be identified by words such as “will,” “expect,” “plan,” “aim” and similar words. They are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the risks described in VEON’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2025, filed with the SEC on 16 March 2026, and in SpaceX’s filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Neither VEON nor SpaceX undertakes any obligation to update them, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws.