Russia's spectrum regulator has assigned 360 MHz of 5G spectrum to the country's four largest mobile network operators without holding an auction, ending years of delay over the country's stalled 5G rollout.

The State Commission on Radio Frequencies (SCRF) awarded each of the "Big Four" operators — MTS, MegaFon, Beeline and T2 — 90 MHz in the 4630-4990 MHz band. The decision was approved at the commission's 31 August 2026 meeting, and the Digital Development Ministry has published Protocol No. 26-88 documenting the award, although the file remains subject to geolocation restrictions and cannot be accessed from every country.

The spectrum went unassigned by auction because the operators had made clear they would not pay for it. A 5G auction had originally been scheduled for late 2025, offering two blocks in the band at minimum prices of RUB 21.2 billion ($243 million) and RUB 26.2 billion respectively. The sale was eventually scrapped.

A Russian industry representative told PolicyTracker that the MNOs had raised concerns about their ability to generate enough revenue to cover licence fees on top of the infrastructure spending a 5G buildout would require, as well as the economic impact of international sanctions on Russia.

The sanctions, imposed in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine, have curtailed imports of telecoms equipment. The operators also judged the 4.8-4.99 GHz range less economically attractive than the 3.4-3.8 GHz band, often described as the "golden band" for 5G deployments worldwide.

Foreign base stations get a temporary window

To accelerate the long-delayed rollout, the four operators will be allowed to use foreign-made base stations integrated into their networks before 1 September 2026, the Russian Ministry of Transport said in a statement.

"Starting in 2027, a phased transition to domestically produced base stations is planned, with completion by the end of 2031," the statement said.

The concession underlines the severity of Russia's equipment shortage. Operators are increasingly integrating domestically produced gear, and manufacturers are expected to produce around 30,000 base stations per year starting in 2028, according to Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev.

Local supply chains are only beginning to take shape. MTS is working with Irteya, a company in which it holds a 50 per cent stake, whose 4G base stations operate in the 800 MHz and 1800 MHz bands. Irteya is also developing the first Russian base station suitable for the 4.4-4.99 GHz range. Bulat, an offshoot of state-owned Rostelecom Group, supplied its first 4G base stations to its parent company last year.

Coverage obligations and timelines

Under the newly awarded licences, 5G coverage must first appear in Russian cities with more than a million inhabitants. Local observers expect commercial 5G launches in five major cities by the end of December 2026.

The Digital Development Ministry says networks using the operators' existing LTE spectrum through dynamic spectrum sharing should appear in these cities "in the very near future". 5G in the 4.63-4.99 GHz band is due to launch in the most popular locations of million-plus cities by the end of 2028, with coverage then expanded in stages over three years.

The schedule gives Russia's Big Four a concrete roadmap for a rollout that has slipped repeatedly since 5G auctions were first mooted, but it rests on domestic manufacturers scaling from pilot deliveries to tens of thousands of units annually within two years. The Russian ministry had not replied to a request for comment on the spectrum assignment at the time of publication.