Working with Ericsson, Tele2 has launched Russia’s first 5G zone in central Moscow, using its commercial network.
The coverage includes outdoor areas in Tverskaya Street, the busiest part of the Russian capital, stretching between Red Square to Sadovoe Ring. The area will be used to demo and test several applications, including virtual reality (VR) entertainment, smart buildings and more. The 5G pilot zone uses the 28 GHz band in non-standalone (NSA) mode.
Sergey Emdin, Tele2 Russia CEO, said, “Despite fierce competition in the development of new technology, jointly with Ericsson we are the first in the Russian market to launch a 5G zone on our infrastructure.
From the very beginning of its work in Moscow, the Tele2 network has been technologically ready for the future implementation of the fifth-generation communication standard.
Russia’s 5G era arrives
“Today’s event means that the 5G era in Russia has already come – from tests and laboratory trials, we are moving to operating the technology on a commercial network. In the near future, Muscovites will be able to see for themselves what 5G will bring to the daily life, entertainment and development of [a] smart city.”
Tele2 and Ericsson signed an agreement to deploy 5G technologies in Russia at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February. Under the terms of the agreement, more than 50,000 base stations will be deployed across the country as part of a five-year network modernisation deal.
The partners also signed a memorandum of agreement to launch a joint 5G trial zone in Moscow at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum held last June.
5G is a priority for Russia.
The government has called for 5G in all the country’s main cities by 2024 as part of its Digital Economy programme.
For more information about Russia’s 5G strategy download this recent report, 5G in Russia: A local and global view of the way forward, by the GSMA Intelligence Unit in cooperation with the Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation and the LTE Union.