MTS and Nokia hit speeds of 2.1Gbps in Moscow mmWave trial

Russian mobile network operator, MTS, has achieved speeds of 2.1Gbps in its latest mmWave 5G trials.

Using Nokia's AirScale mmWave Radio equipment and a Samsung S10 5G handset, MTS was able to achieve speeds far in excess of the speeds achieved in Europe's live 5G networks. MTS' test network uses predominantly mmWave spectrum, due to a shortage of mid-range spectrum in Russia. All four of Russia's mobile network operators are expected to launch 5G services using mmWave spectrum, in contrast to the rest of Europe, which has launched its initial 5G offerings on C-Band spectrum.

“Not long ago we were testing 5G equipment the size of a closet, and today, together with our partners, we showcased a 5G smartphone operating under typical user conditions that externally is indistinguishable from a regular 4G device,” commented Inessa Galaktionova, MTS first vice president for Telecommunications.

“The first 5G smartphones and routers will go on sale in MTS stores providing our customers the ability to realize the benefits of this next-generation standard by using the high-speed mobile connectivity and digital services provided by MTS’s 5G pilot networks.”

Russia is expected to launch commercial 5G services in the first half of 2020.

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