MOSCOW (Realist English). The Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media is negotiating with the American corporation Apple on the possibility of connecting 5G for iPhone users in Russia. This was announced by the head of the department, Maksut Shadayev.
“We are negotiating with Apple, discussing the possibility of connecting 5G on iPhone,” the minister said. Shadayev did not provide details of the negotiations.
5G Launch in Russia and Apple’s Position
5G networks were launched in Russia on September 11, 2026. At the first stage, services began operating in 16 cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Kazan and Ufa. According to the Ministry of Digital Development, about 10 million people gained access to high-speed internet, and services are provided by the operators of the “big four” — MTS, Beeline, MegaFon and T2.
Immediately after the launch, the Ministry of Digital Development clarified that the possibility of connecting 5G for iPhone owners depends on Apple’s decision. Android users gained access to the new-generation network, while the issue with iOS remained open.
Expert Position: Apple Does Not Interact with Operators
Leading analyst at Mobile Research Group Eldar Murtazin stated that iPhone owners will not be able to connect to Russian 5G networks due to restrictions on Apple’s side.
“The 5G icon appears on the iPhone because it sees this network. But due to restrictions on Apple’s side, it will not work there. Such support is unlikely to appear for the Russian market, because the company charges operators for this, and it does not want to work with Russian operators,” Murtazin explained.
The analyst also noted that the probability of connecting 5G on iPhone in Russia is “zero,” since Apple has restricted its activities in the country.
5G Icon on iPhone: What It Means
On September 14–15, some Russian iPhone owners noticed a 5G designation on their smartphones instead of the usual LTE. However, as experts note, the appearance of the new icon does not yet mean full access to fifth-generation networks.
It was reported that MTS began showing the MTS 5G designation on some iPhones even when actually connected via LTE or 3G. The company warns that the MTS 5G label may appear on the screen, but mobile internet continues to work on the 4G network.
The reason is that Apple must separately activate 5G support for each operator, and after the company left Russia, this mechanism effectively stopped working.
What Is Needed to Connect iPhone to 5G
According to IT expert Vladimir Zykov, Apple has not yet officially listed 5G among the supported functions of Russian telecom operators. The company will be able to add or update the operator configuration after successful testing of iPhone operation in Russian fifth-generation networks.
Technically, Apple smartphones support the 5G standard, but for operation in Russian networks, appropriate operator settings from the manufacturer are required.
5G Networks in Russia: Current Status
Since September 11, 5G has been operating in 16 Russian cities. By the end of the year, it is planned to launch fifth-generation communications in another 50 cities.
MTS launched the first large-scale gigabit 5G network in the 4.9 GHz band in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg and Ufa. Peak data transfer speed reaches 1.5 Gbit/s.
However, according to market estimates, no more than 20% of smartphones used in Russia support the 4.63–4.99 GHz band.
