Moscow; August 2026: The Russian State Commission on Radio Frequencies (SCRF) has authorised Russian mobile operators namely Beeline, Megafon, MTS, and T2 to deploy 5G networks in radio frequency ranges previously allocated to the LTE (4G) standard. According to the commission's decision, operators will each receive 90 MHz of spectrum in the 4630-4990 MHz band without an auction. "The allocation of new frequencies in the mid-band will allow operators to deploy high-performance networks and introduce innovative services", the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media has informed vide a press release today (Monday – 31st August 2026).
Till tomorrow (Tuesday - September 01, 2026), operators will be allowed to use existing foreign base stations to deploy 5G networks. A phased transition to domestic base stations is planned for 2027, with completion expected by the end of 2031.
5G networks are expected to appear in cities with populations over 1 million in the very near future, the ministry noted. By the end of 2028, 5G is expected to be launched in the 4.63-4.99 GHz band in the most popular locations in cities with populations over one million. Coverage will then be expanded in stages over three years.
The Russian operators has welcomed the decision to allocate frequencies for 5G. MTS, Megafon, VimpelCom, and T2 unanimously endorsed the State Commission on Radio Frequencies' decision to allocate frequencies for fifth-generation networks. According to the decision, each operator will receive 90 MHz of 5G spectrum in the 4.63–4.99 GHz band without an auction, and will also be able to develop a next-generation network on LTE frequencies. Foreign-made stations can be used till tommorow (Tuesday – 01st September 2026), and from 2027, a phased transition to domestic equipment will begin by the end of 2031.
Megafon announced its full readiness to launch 5G networks. Various 5G transition scenarios have been tested in its own lab, both for corporate clients and for its own infrastructure. The company expects the technology to drive the digitalisation of industry, logistics, and urban development, as well as to enable new business models where communications become a platform for industry transformation.
MTS CEO Inessa Galaktionova called the decision a long-awaited boost for the industry. According to her, the company had been preparing for this for 10 years, investing approximately 50 billion rubles in modernisation. The key challenge, she noted, is the transition to domestic equipment. MTS has a head start thanks to its partnership with IRTEYA: the operator is already operating its 4G base stations and is preparing to install the first 5G base stations.
T2 noted that this is the first time they're talking about a real launch, not a test one. The operator called the State Commission on Radio Frequencies' scenario optimal and declared its technical readiness to provide 5G services to subscribers in the near future, with coverage steadily expanding. "We welcome the State Commission on Radio Frequencies decision to allocate frequency resources for the development of fifth-generation networks in Russia”, VimpelCom (Beeline) stated.
"The State Commission on Radio Frequencies decision will create additional opportunities for the development of communications technologies in Russia", Megafon has briefed media personnel’s, adding that the company is "ready for launch". The company expects the greatest impact from the initial implementation of 5G networks to be in the B2B and B2G segments.
"Communications operators are interested in obtaining additional frequency resources for the deployment of next-generation networks. This will enable them to provide high-quality communications services to households and businesses, as well as launch new technological services", MTS stated.
"We welcome the inclusion of this issue on the State Commission on Radio Frequencies agenda and expect the regulator to rule in favour of the operators. This will allow us to move from pilot projects to a real launch and offer the technology on a commercial network", T2 Mobile asserted.
"These burdens effectively shift operator’s economic burden from frequency acquisition to network construction. The 4.63-4.99 GHz band forces them to increase base station density, which increases operator’s capital expenditures, while the requirement to use Russian-made equipment narrows the choice of suppliers and drives up the cost of the equipment itself", said Ekaterina Litvinova, Senior Manager of TeDo's Business Consulting Practice. According to her, for the market as a whole, "this is more of a targeted, showcase launch of 5G in cities with a population of over a million" rather than the widespread adoption of the technology in the coming years due to the high cost and limited availability of base stations. The dedicated spectrum doesn't allow for effective indoor and indoor coverage and requires a larger number of base stations for comparable coverage, "which is why the payback period for such a network could stretch out for decades".
"The Russian 4.63–4.99 GHz band, according to various estimates, supports few devices; operators estimates range from 5% to 20%", Ekaterina Litvinova added. According to Russian Telecom experts 5G is important for the number of devices it can simultaneously support, as well as its low latency, which opens up opportunities for driverless vehicles and physical AI.
"On LTE frequencies, 5G will show a preliminary speed increase of 10%. If we're talking about a dedicated band, the increase will be several times greater, but it will be supported by a small number of devices. But gradually, people will inevitably check whether this band is supported when buying a new smartphone”, said Anton Prokopenko, Product Director at Vigo.
Meanwhile, Litvinova adds that another problem could be "dependence on Russian vendors": "The requirement to use domestic equipment, when the industry is unprepared to produce it in the required volumes and at a competitive price, could become a bottleneck, causing the deadlines to be determined not by operators, but by the capabilities of manufacturers".
Team Maverick.
