On 11 September 2026, fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks were launched for commercial use in Nizhny Novgorod. The city became one of the first 16 Russian cities where the new communications standard went live — the launch was carried out on the orders of President Vladimir Putin and organised by the Russian Ministry of Digital Development.[1]

Coverage areas and operators

MegaFon became the first operator to launch 5G in Nizhny Novgorod.[1] The network has been deployed at three central locations in the city: at Minin Square, on Bolshaya Pokrovka Street near the Dynamo stadium, and along a section of Varvarskaya Street.[2][3] Simultaneously with Nizhny Novgorod, MegaFon activated 5G in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Krasnodar, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Veliky Novgorod, and Tver.[2] The official launch was made by MegaFon's CEO Khachatur Pombukchyan. MegaFon has a track record of introducing new communications standards in Russia: in 2007 the operator launched the country's first 3G network, in 2012 it was the first to provide subscribers with 4G (LTE) access, and in 2014 it was the first to put an LTE Advanced network into commercial operation, offering speeds of up to 300 Mbit/s.[4][3]

On the same day, the operator T2 launched 5G in seven million-plus cities — Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Volgograd, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Perm, and Krasnoyarsk — reaching, according to the company, more than 45 million residents. Nizhny Novgorod was not included in T2's first wave of launches.[5][6] All four of the major operators planned to offer services based on the new standard in Nizhny Novgorod.[1]

Technical Foundation

The network rollout was made possible by the principle of technological neutrality: operators were granted the right to repurpose previously allocated LTE frequencies for the new standard by upgrading base station equipment, without building separate infrastructure. The 3.4–3.8 GHz frequency band, used for 5G in most countries, is occupied in Russia by the FSB and the Ministry of Defence — Putin reserved these frequencies for the military back in 2019, which is what drove the deployment of Russian fifth-generation networks on previously allocated LTE frequencies.[7] According to the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, repurposing previously allocated LTE frequencies for the 5G standard will increase network capacity by 20–25% in the coming years.[8][2][9] Additionally, operators received new bands in the 4.63–4.99 GHz range free of charge and in equal shares — for subsequent capacity expansion.

The Russian Ministry of Digital Development stated that the allocation of new bands on a free and equal basis is intended to maintain a high level of competition among operators and ensure affordable tariffs for subscribers.[8][1] The network is available to owners of 5G-capable smartphones; access from Apple devices depended on a decision by the corporation.[1] For smartphones without support for the standard, MegaFon offered a "5G mode" option that raises mobile internet speeds to a comparable level.[3]

Significance for the Region

Deputy Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region Yegor Polyakov noted the particular importance of the event for a region with a well-developed IT sector and industrial base, pointing to Nizhny Novgorod's historical connection with radio engineering.[2][3] According to MegaFon's assessment, the technology is set to become the foundation for the digital transformation of the region's industrial and scientific-technical enterprises. MegaFon also announced the launch of the country's first private Private 5G network in industry, having previously conducted trials in its own laboratory with the integration of a suite of security solutions.[4][3] Across Russia as a whole, around 10 million people gained access to 5G at the time of launch, and the new standard was planned to be extended to a further 50 cities by the end of 2026.[1]

Sources

  1. Vremya N — 5G networks launched for commercial use in Nizhny Novgorod on September 11
  2. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — 5G network becomes available to Nizhny Novgorod residents (archive)
  3. Vremya N — MegaFon launches 5G network in Nizhny Novgorod
  4. Vzglyad-NN — 5G network launched in Nizhny Novgorod
  5. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — T2 launches real 5G network in Russia
  6. Vzglyad-NN — T2 launches real 5G network in Russia
  7. Meduza — The 3.4–3.8 GHz frequencies used for 5G throughout the rest of the world are occupied in Russia by the FSB and the Ministry of Defense. Vladimir Putin left these frequ
  8. Vzglyad-NN — According to an assessment by the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, repurposing previously allocated LTE frequencies for the 5G standard will increase network capacity in the near
  9. aif.ru — The next generation of communications. MegaFon launches 5G network in Russia (archive)
  10. Vremya N — On September 11, 2026, MTS activated 5G in 16 Russian cities, having invested more than 50 billion rubles in infrastructure preparation; however, Nizhny Novgorod was not included in the first launch wave
  11. NN.RU — In the first phase of the commercial 5G rollout in Nizhny Novgorod, MegaFon was the only operator among the "big four" to provide the new-standard network