One month after the launch of 5G in Russia, the average mobile internet speed has increased by nearly 20 percent. According to TelecomDaily, the median upload speed rose by 19.7 percent, reaching 10.3 Mbps, while the download speed across the four major operators grew by 13.7 percent to 27.56 Mbps.
The speed increase is observed nationwide, even among users without direct 5G access. In active 5G networks, data transmission speeds currently reach 240–260 Mbps. TelecomDaily CEO Denis Kuskov expects a further 10 percent increase in median speeds by the end of the year as 5G deployment continues, particularly in the n79 band.
Ilya Ilyinsky, an expert at the National Technology Initiative, noted that future growth will be driven by expanding coverage to 50 additional cities by the end of the year. Current speed gains were largely achieved by updating software on existing LTE equipment, which has limited room for further optimization.
The Ministry of Digital Development stated that significant speed improvements are expected once operators transition to dedicated frequencies in the 4.9 GHz band. Currently, 5G networks are operational in 35 Russian cities. The industry plans to begin transitioning to domestic base stations starting in 2027.
