On October 8, 2026, the mobile operator MTS opened access to its fifth-generation (5G) mobile network for subscribers in Nizhny Novgorod. Coverage reached parts of seven city districts: Nizhegorodsky, Kanavinsky, Sovetsky, Moskovsky, Avtozavodsky, Leninsky, and Sormovsky.[1] The coverage zones include both central locations popular with tourists and residential neighborhoods.[2]

Technical solution

The network is deployed on existing LTE frequencies in the 2100 MHz band on the principle of technological neutrality — without allocating any new frequency resource.[1] This approach makes it possible to increase network capacity and improve connection quality in stages, as subscriber numbers concentrate.[2] This is the first stage of MTS's 5G rollout in the region; the company plans to expand coverage steadily in Nizhny Novgorod and Nizhny Novgorod Region.[1]

For comparison: earlier, on September 11, 2026, MTS launched a large-scale gigabit 5G network in the 4.9 GHz band in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Ufa — based on 46 former test zones, with a peak data transfer speed of up to 1.5 Gbit/s. In Nizhny Novgorod, a different band was used for the rollout — 2100 MHz.[2]

Context and significance

Maxim Ledentsov, acting director of MTS in Nizhny Novgorod Region, noted that the launch of the first 5G base stations is "work for the future," requiring time and a phased development of the infrastructure. According to him, the technology is particularly important for business: it expands the possibilities of digital services, connecting smart devices, and automating work processes.[1] In parallel, MTS is developing the 5G standard in the 2100 MHz band in other million-plus cities and regional centers across the country.[3]

The MTS 5G launch followed the nationwide start of fifth-generation networks on September 11, 2026, when Nizhny Novgorod was among the first 16 Russian cities with commercial 5G service — at that time, MegaFon was the first to begin operating in the city.

Sources

  1. Business News. Time to Earn — MTS Launches 5G in Nizhny Novgorod (archive)
  2. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — 5G Network Goes Live in Seven Districts of Nizhny Novgorod Nizhny Novgorod News (archive)
  3. Newsroom24 — Fifth-Generation Connectivity Goes Live in Seven Districts of Nizhny Novgorod — Society (archive)