Ericsson and Tele2 have launched Russia's first 5G zone in central Moscow on Tele2's commercial network, setting into motion an agreement they signed in June this year. The non-stop outdoor 5G coverage is live on Tverskaya Street, the busiest part of the Russian capital, stretching between the Red Square and Sadovoe Ring.
The area is ready for all kinds of demos exploring the opportunities of 5G, including immersive VR entertainment, smart buildings and other consumer and industrial use cases where high data speed and ultra-low latency are deemed critical. The 5G pilot zone is deployed in the 28 GHz band in non-Standalone (NSA) mode, the frequency band for anchor LTE band is Band 7 (2600 MHz), and the 5G pocket routers supporting 28 GHz are used as end-user devices for mobile broadband services with ultra-high speeds.
Tele2 and Ericsson signed an agreement to deploy 5G technologies in Russia at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year. 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 modernization 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.
Deployment of a 5G network is one of Russia’s priorities. According to ‘The Digital Economy of the Russian Federation’ national program, it is crucial to establish robust 5G communication in all main cities of Russia by 2024.
