Rostelecom has submitted two applications to the State Commission for Radio Frequencies (GRFC) for the allocation of frequencies for testing 5G in the metro.

To test the technology at underground metro stations in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan, the company asks for a range of 3.3-3.4 GHz and 3.8-4.1 GHz. For testing at underground metro stations of the same cities (in Moscow, an experiment is planned to be carried out on the Circle Line), Rostelecom wants to use the 3.4–3.8 GHz band.

The Ministry of Digital Development, which oversees the work of the GRFC, clarifies that the application will be considered at the next meeting of the state commission. The company itself says that they are ready to test all radio frequency resources suitable for use in fifth-generation networks – testing in the metro cannot interfere with ground-based electronic equipment.

Experts note that the band, which can be summarized as 3.6 GHz, is optimal for 5G deployment. And the appeal of Rostelecom to the SCRF indicates that the issue of using 3.6 GHz by 5G operators is not closed.

In 2021, Freshtel, a subsidiary of Rostelecom, has already applied for 3.4-3.8 GHz frequencies to test 5G in the Moscow and Kazan metros. However, then the company was denied.

Last May, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also announced the start of testing 5G in the metro, but the details of the project were not disclosed then. In December, the head of the capital announced that the creation of a fifth-generation network in the capital could begin in 2022.

In June 2021, Tele2 (a subsidiary of Rostelecom), together with Nokia, launched a test zone for 5G in the millimeter band (24.25-29.5 GHz) in the Kazan metro.