The Russian Ministry of Digital Development has announced the launch of commercial 5G networks. The service is currently provided by the four major operators—MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, and T2—across 16 cities, covering approximately 10 million people.
The initial deployment utilizes frequency bands previously allocated for LTE, which is expected to boost network capacity by 20–25% in the coming years. Operators have also received new spectrum in the 4.63–4.99 GHz range to support further development.
Currently, the service is limited to Android devices. Access for iPhone users remains unavailable due to the lack of official carrier profile support from Apple and technical compatibility issues regarding the specific frequency bands used in Russia.
The government plans to expand 5G technology to an additional 50 cities by the end of the year. Beyond consumer internet, the infrastructure is intended for industrial digitalization, autonomous transport, telemedicine, and smart city systems.
