Russia launches first commercial 5G networks, but only in 16 cities so far
Russia's Digital Development Ministry has announced the launch of the country's first commercial 5G networks, initially covering 16 cities and roughly 10 million people. Coverage is planned to expand to 50 more cities by the end of 2026.
Russia's Digital Development Ministry has announced that the country's first commercial fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks are now operational. All four major national carriers — MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, and T2 — will offer the service in 16 cities, giving an estimated 10 million people initial access to 5G.
According to the ministry, owners of Android devices in these cities will be able to use 5G "very soon," while access for iPhone users will depend on a decision from Apple.
Expansion plans
The ministry said it intends to extend 5G coverage to 50 additional cities by the end of 2026. For now, the network will run on LTE (4G) frequencies already allocated to the carriers, who have also been granted new spectrum in the 4.63–4.99 GHz range.
A military obstacle
Elsewhere in the world, 5G networks typically rely on the 3.4–3.8 GHz frequency band, but in Russia this range has long been controlled by the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Defense Ministry. Mobile carriers have repeatedly sought access to these frequencies to build full-scale 5G networks, but President Vladimir Putin assigned them to the military in 2019 and has not reversed that decision since.
