What Russia's Commercial 5G Launch Has Delivered So Far

Russia switched on its first commercial 5G networks on 11 September in 16 cities, with potential coverage of about 10 million people. The immediate result, according to operator and official estimates, is a real but modest jump: average mobile internet speeds are around 15–30% higher than on LTE.

The restrained improvement is not accidental. The new networks are running in Non-Standalone (NSA) mode on frequencies previously used by LTE, the Ministry of Digital Development says. MegaFon puts the average gain at 18–20%, Beeline says speeds can rise by up to 30% at times, and TelecomDaily's Megabitus data, based on hundreds of thousands of measurements, points to roughly 15%.

There are already faster pockets. A DMTel study in Yekaterinburg found T2 leading with 644 Mbit/s, while the three operators present in the city recorded speeds from 360 Mbit/s. T2 said this shows 5G can deliver speeds four to five times higher than LTE even in its first phase. Analysts caution, however, that the current NSA phase is not the full 5G experience: dedicated 4.9 GHz standalone networks are expected from 2027, and iPhone access still depends on a decision by Apple.

Why 15–30% Is the Expected First Phase for Russian 5G

Why the NSA phase explains the underwhelming numbers

Because 5G is reusing LTE's existing spectrum, the network does not yet have the dedicated capacity that gives standalone 5G its much larger speed advantage. Denis Kuskov of TelecomDaily said no substantial growth had been expected on LTE frequencies and that the 4.6–4.9 GHz band will deliver far higher results. Independent analyst Alexey Boyko describes NSA as a standard first step that lets operators launch 5G without immediately paying for a complete standalone network.

What the operator figures hide about real performance

The headline numbers vary because they measure different things: MegaFon's 18–20% average, Beeline's up to 30% at a moment, and T2's 644 Mbit/s in Yekaterinburg are not like-for-like. Anastasia Bidzhelova of Telecom Exchange notes that full standalone 5G offers on average 62% higher download speed than NSA, and that in individual cases a loaded LTE network can still beat NSA.

The Apple bottleneck

Android owners can use the new networks now, but iPhone access is outside operator control. The Ministry of Digital Development says it is already in talks with Apple. Until those talks produce an agreement, a substantial share of Russian smartphone users will be unable to experience 5G, which could suppress early adoption data.

The 2027 domestic equipment pivot

The real performance leap is tied to a policy-driven hardware transition. MTS says gigabit 5G on Russian-made equipment in the 4.9 GHz band will start in 2027, and the rollout is scheduled to reach the busiest zones of million-plus cities by the end of 2028 before a phased expansion through 2031. That gives the state and operators a clear timetable, but makes the speed upgrade contingent on domestic base station supply.

What Android Users, iPhone Owners and Businesses Should Expect

  • Android owners in the 16 launch cities can enable 5G now, but should expect only a 15–30% speed bump over LTE in NSA mode — and weaker performance near the edge of a base station's coverage.
  • iPhone users should not count on 5G in Russia yet; access depends on a still-unresolved agreement between Apple and the Ministry of Digital Development.
  • Businesses piloting 5G-dependent services should time major deployments for the 2027 standalone rollout on 4.9 GHz, when operators plan gigabit speeds and LTE offload.
  • Coverage-sensitive projects should test in exact locations now: the 2028 obligation covers only the most in-demand zones of million-plus cities, with broader coverage phased through 2031.

Risk & Opportunity Assessment

Commercial RiskMediumThe early NSA rollout reuses LTE spectrum and delivers only a 15–30% speed gain, limiting the near-term premium operators can attach to 5G services.
Competitive RiskMediumT2 already leads in Yekaterinburg at 644 Mbit/s while the three operators there start from 360 Mbit/s; the race will reset when gigabit 5G on 4.9 GHz begins in 2027.
Regulatory RiskMediumOperators depend on the Ministry of Digital Development's phased spectrum framework, the 2027 switch to Russian base stations, and the completion target of 2031.
Reputation RiskMediumUsers expecting a dramatic 5G jump may be disappointed by coverage gaps and by cases where a loaded LTE network still outperforms NSA.
Technology DisruptionHighStandalone 5G on dedicated 4.9 GHz spectrum from 2027 and the shift to domestic equipment could materially change network performance and the supplier base, though the current NSA phase does not yet deliver that disruption.
Commercial OpportunityHigh5G is already live in 16 cities with about 10 million potential users, and the later 4.9 GHz standalone rollout creates room for gigabit services and LTE offload.