Russia rolls out commercial 5G service in 16 cities, targeting 10 million users
The Digital Development Ministry announced that Russia's first commercial 5G networks are live in 16 cities, covering about 10 million people, with plans to reach 50 more cities by the end of 2026.
Russia’s Digital Development Ministry confirmed the activation of its inaugural commercial 5G networks, initially available in 16 cities through the nation’s four leading mobile operators—MTS, Beeline, MegaFon and T2—serving an estimated 10 million users. Android devices in those areas will be able to access the service shortly, while iPhone compatibility depends on a pending decision by Apple. The early rollout operates on LTE frequencies already allocated to carriers, complemented by newly assigned spectrum in the 4.63-4.99 GHz range.
The higher-frequency 3.4-3.8 GHz band, commonly used for 5G elsewhere, remains under the jurisdiction of the Federal Security Service and the Defense Ministry, a holdover from a 2019 decree by Vladimir Putin. Mobile operators have long sought access to that band for broader deployment. The ministry aims to extend 5G coverage to an additional 50 cities by the close of 2026.
Why it matters
It marks Russia's entry into commercial 5G, affecting millions of users and signaling future telecom expansion.
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