Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development, Communications & Mass Media expects to conduct pilot testing of 5G networks using Russian-built base stations in 2025, starting in cities with million-plus populations, news agency Tass reported, quoting the head of the ministry, Maksut Shadayev.
Whilst limited 5G test zones were previously launched using equipment from foreign vendors, Shadayev noted that Russian telecoms operators have entered into forward contracts with domestic manufacturers for the supply of base stations, including a plan for the supply of equipment for 5G networks. News site TelecomDaily notes that Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko said in September last year that frequencies in the 4.4GHz-4.9GHz band will be used for Russian-built 5G, while certain millimetre wave (mmWave) frequencies have also been allocated to 5G, although the globally-popular 3.4GHz-3.8GHz band has not.