MegaFon Tests Its First Private 5G Network in the Lab
Engineers aim to make it possible to upgrade equipment already in operation without replacing it entirely.
The rollout of 5G mobile connectivity remains one of Russia’s most anticipated telecom developments. Moving to the next generation matters not only to consumers, who will gain faster access to digital services. Industry also wants to modernize its networks to take AI- and Internet of Things-based technologies to the next level.
A Technology Transition Without the Disruption
While regulatory issues are being worked out, operators are moving ahead with the technical preparations. MegaFon, for example, reported successful laboratory testing of equipment designed to deploy private 5G networks at industrial sites. During the tests, engineers implemented the full architecture required for next-generation connectivity. They configured the core and transport networks and established seamless interoperability with existing LTE infrastructure. The team tested both the physical and logical architecture, including traffic routing, resource allocation and redundancy for critical components.
An important part of the testing was determining whether the new equipment could be integrated with existing foreign-made base stations. This approach would allow systems to be upgraded quickly without requiring their complete replacement. The engineers also tested software interoperability, including telemetry and remote-monitoring platforms as well as transportation and logistics management systems. The tests showed that a major telecom equipment upgrade would not require industrial sites to halt operations. Existing processes can continue as usual while maintaining current service quality.
Performance Remains Intact
The laboratory was equipped with an additional system for monitoring key performance indicators, as well as a suite of security tools. During testing, engineers assessed whether the required data-transfer speeds and signal latency could be maintained under the additional load. No problems were identified, including with information security.
“MegaFon is systematically moving toward 5G deployment – and backing that work with real-world testing. Even before receiving regulatory approvals, we are testing 5G architecture using Russian-made base stations in our own laboratory. In the lab, we have completed a full cycle of testing for different radio-access-generation migration scenarios. This allows us to guarantee customers a smooth transition regardless of their existing infrastructure: it does not matter when or on what equipment their pLTE network was deployed, because we have developed upgrade paths for every configuration,” said Andrey Konstantinov, MegaFon’s director of strategic infrastructure planning.
No Longer a Novelty, but an Operational Standard
Private mobile networks have evolved over the past several years from a technological novelty into a standard operational tool for industrial enterprises. By the end of 2025, Russia had 173 completed Private LTE/5G deployment projects. Some were pilots, but most networks were operating in full production mode. By comparison, only 97 private networks were operating nationwide in 2024.
Lower Risks for Workers
In June this year, MegaFon and Apatit JSC announced at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum a project to build the country’s first Private 5G network supporting autonomous open-pit mining equipment in Russia’s Arctic region. According to the operator, the new network will enable efficient transmission of large volumes of data with minimal latency. Reliable connectivity, in turn, will allow large fleets of equipment to be connected to the network, with operations controlled remotely rather than manually. Over time, that could remove workers from hazardous areas, improve safety and labor productivity, and optimize logistics chains.
There is little doubt that MegaFon’s tests address current market needs. Industrial companies need greater capabilities from private mobile networks. The operator is responding with the technical preparations needed to make the transition to the next generation of networks as seamless as possible for industrial enterprises.
