Russia has launched its first commercial 5G mobile networks across 16 major cities following an order from President Vladimir Putin, the digital development ministry announced.
The Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation released details of the launch on the Max messaging application, stating that commercial fifth-generation networks are now operational. The service is initially available in 16 urban centers: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Samara, Veliky Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnodar, Tver, Volgograd, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Chelyabinsk, Ufa, and Yaroslavl. Ministry officials added that authorities plan to launch 5G technology in an additional 50 cities before the end of 2026.
The rollout spans key regional hubs across Russia, the largest country in the world by landmass. Moscow serves as the national capital, while Saint Petersburg is the second-largest city. Novosibirsk is the largest industrial center in Siberia, Yekaterinburg sits near the Ural Mountains, and Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan. Other network hubs include cities along the Volga River such as Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, and Volgograd.
5G technology represents the fifth generation of wireless mobile standards, engineered to provide faster data transmission, higher network capacity, and lower latency than previous cellular generations. The Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media is the federal executive body responsible for regulating telecommunications, mass media, and digital infrastructure across Russia.
Device access and network frequencies
Commercial mobile operators will deliver the 5G services to subscribers. Users with smartphones running on the Android operating system will gain access to 5G services in the near future. However, the ministry noted that access for iPhone owners remains dependent on decisions made by Apple Corporation.
Android is an open-source mobile operating system developed by Google that powers smartphones produced by various global manufacturers. The iPhone is a line of smartphones manufactured by Apple Inc., an American multinational technology corporation based in Cupertino, California.
During the initial deployment phase, the new 5G networks will operate using Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio frequencies previously allocated to mobile operators. Furthermore, operators received additional frequencies free of charge, a measure designed to help telecom companies offer affordable pricing tariffs to consumers.
Long-Term Evolution, commonly known as LTE or 4G, is the previous generation of mobile network technology that became the global standard for cellular broadband communications over the past decade.
Future network developments
Looking toward future telecommunications infrastructure, State Duma deputy Artem Sheykin previously addressed potential timelines for sixth-generation technology in Russia. He stated that 6G mobile networks could potentially be introduced in the country by 2032.
The State Duma is the lower chamber of the Federal Assembly of Russia, responsible for enacting federal legislation. Sixth-generation (6G) cellular technology is expected to succeed 5G by offering microsecond latency and terabit-per-second data rates when commercial deployment begins globally in the 2030s.
