Russia's T2 readies 5G launch as testing ramps up in major cities

Russian telecoms provider T2 is pushing ahead with plans to roll out 5G across the country. The company has already prepared its network for the upgrade and is now waiting for regulatory approval. Testing is underway in major cities to gauge demand and fine-tune equipment performance. T2’s CEO, Anton Godikov, has highlighted the need for 5G to serve both private users and businesses. The company is focusing on business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) sectors, where demand for faster, more reliable connections is strongest. Analysts predict manufacturing will become the biggest user of 5G within five years, thanks to its need for high speeds, large capacity, and near-instant response times.

Testing is currently taking place in Russia’s largest cities, each with over a million residents. These trials help T2 understand subscriber interest while checking how well the equipment performs under real-world conditions. The technology promises to transform industries by enabling advanced IoT solutions, autonomous systems, and smart city infrastructure.

To launch 5G, T2 will use a mix of technology-neutral frequency allocation and extra spectrum assignments. This approach will allow operators to expand coverage systematically, reaching more areas as new frequency bands become available. The company has confirmed its network is fully 5G-ready and will activate the service for all users as soon as regulators give the final go-ahead. Once approved, T2’s 5G network will bring faster speeds and lower latency to consumers and industries alike. The focus on manufacturing and smart infrastructure suggests the technology could soon play a key role in Russia’s economic and urban development. Regulatory clearance remains the only hurdle before the official launch.