The Russian State Commission for Radio Frequencies will consider allocating frequencies in the range 25-29.5 GHz to operators for testing fifth generation mobile communication (5G), Izvestia writes citing а draft agenda of the body’s meeting.
The authenticity of the document was confirmed by a source familiar with several of the commission’s members, an official of the relevant department, and an employee of one of the mobile operators, the newspaper writes.
In case of a positive decision, 5G tests can begin at the end of the summer, one of the sources said. 5G at frequencies of 25-29.5 GHz will allow stadiums, shopping and business centers and other crowded places to be covered with high-speed Internet, experts told the newspaper. However, for the global deployment of fifth-generation networks in large cities, a different range is needed – 3.4-3.8 GHz – which is so far unavailable to Russian operators.
At the moment, the top priority for deploying fifth-generation communication networks in Russia is clearing frequencies for them, Evgeny Novikov, an official representative of Russia’s Ministry of Communications and Mass Media, told Izvestia. Numerous Commission meetings, many of them at various levels, and the composition of participants will be devoted to this issue, he said.
In March, the Russian Ministry of Defense recommended using higher frequencies and did not approve using 3.4-3.8 GHz frequencies in Russia it is used by various satellite communications including the military. Later, President Vladimir Putin was addressed with a request to clear the frequencies. A source in the Defense Ministry told Izvestia that the issue remains under discussion.
