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Communications and telecom
17:00, 16 October 2025
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The Russian Virtual Mobile Network Market Is Experiencing Explosive Growth

Over the past five years, the number of virtual mobile subscribers in Russia has multiplied several times. Consumers are attracted by a combination of affordable pricing and a wide range of digital services.

A Market at Its Peak of Growth

Russia’s virtual mobile network operator (MVNO) market is expanding at record speed. MVNOs—companies that offer telecom services under their own brand while operating on the infrastructure of major carriers—have become a powerful alternative to traditional operators.

As of the first half of 2025, the total number of MVNO subscribers in Russia reached 21 million, a 58% increase year-over-year. According to research firm TelecomDaily, by December, this figure is projected to rise to 23.4 million. For comparison, in 2020, the MVNO market had just 6.8 million subscribers—meaning the segment has grown more than threefold in five years.

Analysts expect the growth rate to slow slightly to around 17% annually, but even then, the number of MVNO subscribers could reach 43.6 million by 2030.

Top Three Market Leaders

Several virtual operators are currently active in Russia, with three companies clearly dominating the market. Yota leads by a wide margin, with around 9.5 million users—approximately 45% of all MVNO subscribers.

“In Moscow, you can’t get a package of minutes and data for less than about $8–9 per month from the ‘big four’ operators. That’s why customers are voting with their feet—and their wallets—by switching to virtual operators while keeping their numbers.”
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T-Mobile ranks second with 4.6 million users (22% share), followed by SberMobile at 19% (4 million subscribers). Other key players include Rostelecom with 8% market share (1.7 million users) and MTS (MGTS) with about 2% (420,000 users). Together, Yota and the two banking MVNOs control 86% of the market, while the five largest operators account for a striking 96%. Over the past year, SberMobile has shown the fastest subscriber growth—up 149%. Yota’s user base grew by 50%, and T-Mobile’s by 28%. Meanwhile, Gazprombank Mobile, VTB Mobile, and Next Mobile all reported user increases of about 20%.

The Secret Behind the Surge

Anastasia Speshilova, CEO of Gazprombank Mobile, believes the surge in MVNO popularity stems from several factors, including aggressive marketing and the rapid expansion of digital ecosystems. Banking-based MVNOs, in particular, have been leveraging their ecosystems to attract users.

“Telecom services are becoming another tool for increasing customer loyalty and engagement. For banks, these investments are a strategic move,” Speshilova notes. Additionally, the influx of new market entrants has intensified competition, forcing operators to fight for users by offering more attractive tariffs and service bundles.

Ecosystem Competition

According to T-Mobile representatives, the Russian market is now witnessing “competition between ecosystems, not just between tariffs.” “Most MVNOs are fintech-driven operators that seek to meet a wider range of customer needs. The trend toward ecosystem integration continues to grow—modern technology companies can no longer limit themselves to a single product or service,” they explain.

However, the MVNO segment still faces challenges. Since most MVNOs lease network capacity from the “big four” traditional operators, they depend on their willingness to share infrastructure. There’s also potential for increased regulatory oversight at the legislative level. Despite these risks, the market shows no signs of slowing down. In 2025, Beeline partnered with Alfa-Bank to launch a large-scale MVNO project and introduced the Smart-MVNO platform, enabling other companies to create their own branded mobile networks.

This move is expected to bring even more players into the market, increasing competition and driving down prices. For consumers, the result will be a broader selection of tariffs and better value for money.

 

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