Irteya Connects Russian 5G Base Station to Commercial Network
The equipment has been deployed at the International Youth Festival site in Yekaterinburg.
Russia continues to roll out 5G networks. At the initial stage, authorities have decided to introduce a transition period, allowing operators to continue using foreign equipment already in their networks. Over time, however, operators are expected to switch to domestic alternatives, and the technological foundation for that transition is already in place.
Internet Speeds Reach 780 Mbps
As part of the International Youth Festival in Yekaterinburg, MTS and Irteya launched a 5G network using Russian-made equipment. The new-generation base station was connected to an existing LTE-based core network. Within MTS’s commercial network, it interacted with base stations from other manufacturers using a non-standalone (NSA) architecture.
All MTS subscribers and festival visitors roaming on MTS with 5G smartphones supporting the 4.9 GHz band were able to test the benefits of high-speed connectivity. Data-transfer speeds reached about 780 Mbps. A 5G network operating on LTE frequencies was also launched at the festival site.
Transition Mode
Experts note that operation in a non-standalone architecture is a temporary measure. It allows subscribers to access higher-speed mobile internet while operators build out networks for the new generation of connectivity.
“In major Russian cities, growing traffic creates demand for new frequency bands to expand mobile-network capacity. In the near term, we need to deploy domestic 5G base stations in the new 4.9 GHz band, and non-standalone architecture is the evolutionary and fastest way to provide 5G coverage. An important achievement by the Irteya team is integrating a domestic 5G base station with LTE base stations from other manufacturers on a live, operational carrier network. Without this integration, deploying domestic 5G base stations within existing networks would not be possible,” says Viktor Belov, MTS vice president for telecommunications infrastructure.
Base Stations Prove Their Capabilities
Belov also noted that Irteya’s new equipment was developed in close cooperation with MTS engineers. For now, about 1,000 of the company’s base stations are already in operation. They support LTE networks while also enabling a rapid transition to 5G. In the near term, the operator plans to purchase several hundred Irteya 5G base stations operating in the new 4.9 GHz band.
The importance of next-generation connectivity extends beyond individual subscribers. Without this technological transition, rapid industrial digital transformation and the widespread deployment of smart-city systems would not be possible. 5G networks are used not only for high-speed internet access, but also as infrastructure for the industrial Internet of Things, manufacturing automation and real-time control systems. At the same time, the availability of domestic equipment can help accelerate modernization projects.
Irteya Emerges as a Technology-Transition Pioneer
Irteya’s equipment was among the first to move into commercial operation. In December 2024, MTS placed 200 base stations into test operation across 37 Russian regions. The equipment was developed using Open RAN principles and a cloud-based architecture, allowing it to integrate with existing communications infrastructure.
In June 2025, Irteya unveiled Russia’s first 5G base station. The solution marked an important step toward technological sovereignty in Russia’s mobile communications sector and could also be positioned for export, particularly to CIS countries, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
The launch of the new equipment shows that Russian manufacturers are moving from pilot projects to full-scale production of carrier-grade equipment. In the coming years, the main focus will be on scaling these solutions across Russia. Initially, the equipment will be deployed in major cities, where network infrastructure faces the highest loads. Over time, it is expected to reach other areas as well.
