The largest Russian mobile operator, MTS, continues the planned decommissioning of obsolete 3G networks to reallocate the freed-up frequencies to the 4G standard. In June-July 2025, third-generation mobile communication services will be discontinued in nine cities across seven regions of Russia, including Adygea, Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Altai and Krasnodar Territories, and Vladimir and Novosibirsk Regions.
According to the MTS press service, by the end of 2025, the operator will decommission at least half of the remaining 3G base stations nationwide. This will increase the speed and bandwidth of 4G (LTE) networks by approximately 25%, and expand the use of VoLTE (Voice over LTE) technology, which will improve call quality.
The abandonment of 3G is a global trend associated with the development of faster and more energy-efficient communication standards. In Russia, this process began in 2024 and should be completed by 2030, according to the industry strategy. According to MTS Vice President Viktor Belov, less than 5% of the operator's subscribers still use devices without LTE support, and their number continues to decline.
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