Russia Launches Commercial 5G Service in 16 Cities

The launch matters less for consumer speeds than for what it signals about Russia's domestic telecom supply chain: four operators going live simultaneously in major cities implies a coordinated rollout model rather than organic market competition. The near-term effect falls on equipment vendors and spectrum policy, since coverage economics in Russia's lower-density regions will determine whether this stays a showcase or becomes a platform. Whether the 16-city footprint expands beyond the largest metros is the open question.