Russia’s Digital Development Ministry announces 5G launch (only in 16 cities for now)

Source: Ministry of Digital Development of Russia

Russia has switched on its first commercial fifth-generation (5G) networks, the Digital Development Ministry announced.

The country’s “big four” mobile carriers — MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, and T2 — will offer 5G-based service in 16 cities, giving an estimated 10 million people access to 5G mobile internet, the ministry reported.

Android device owners in those cities will be able to use 5G “very soon,” the Digital Development Ministry noted, adding that access for iPhone owners depends on a decision by Apple.

The ministry stated it plans to expand 5G to 50 more cities by the end of 2026. Initially, the technology will run on LTE (4G) frequencies already allocated to carriers, which have also received new spectrum in the 4.63–4.99 GHz range.

In Russia, the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Defense Ministry have traditionally controlled the 3.4–3.8 GHz frequency band used for 5G elsewhere in the world. Mobile carriers have long pushed to obtain these frequencies to build fifth-generation networks, but Vladimir Putin left them with the military in 2019 and has not reversed the decision since.

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