Russia's Digital Ministry weighs 50 GB fee for international traffic on 5G
In short
Russia's Ministry of Digital Development is again discussing with mobile operators a charge for international traffic above 50 GB in 5G networks, according to reports attributed to Kommersant. No decision has been taken, and operators currently have no technical way to implement the measure because 5G traffic runs over LTE networks, the reports said. The ministry had aimed to launch the system in October 2026, but sources said the timing could slip.
Read the full story 2 min read
Russia's Ministry of Digital Development is again discussing with mobile operators a charge for international traffic above 50 GB in 5G networks, according to reports attributed to Kommersant and a source familiar with the discussions. The ministry is considering different options, including the size of the free allowance, and no specific decision has been taken, the reports said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Implementing the plan is not currently possible, according to the reports: in October 2026 all 5G traffic runs through LTE networks, which makes separate accounting of 5G traffic for billing difficult. One source said it is “technically impossible”. The ministry had said the system should start working in October 2026, and a source said the timeline could slip. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The charge would potentially affect a limited number of users. In 2025 a private mobile subscriber used about 24 GB of internet traffic a month on average, and 13.8% of subscribers used more than 50 GB, according to expert estimates cited by Kommersant. For international traffic in 5G networks only, that share would be smaller; users who share mobile internet with other devices could exceed the threshold sooner. [ 1 , 4 ]
5G services were launched in Russia on 11 September 2026 by the four largest operators — MegaFon, Beeline, MTS and T2 — in 16 cities, including Moscow, St Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg and Kazan, and about 10 million subscribers gained access. Commercial 5G networks still operate in a limited number of cities and not all devices support the technology. [ 3 , 4 ]
An earlier version of the plan was discussed in the spring. Kommersant-sourced reports said the ministry had asked operators to charge 150 rubles for international traffic above 15 GB from 1 May, and later reports said the authorities would not oblige operators to introduce the fee before the autumn State Duma elections. On 7 July, deputy digital development minister Ivan Lebedev said the ministry was not considering a fee for foreign traffic. Operators asked the ministry to postpone the measure, citing the need to upgrade billing systems. [ 4 , 5 ]
Industry views on feasibility differ. Anton Prokopenko, product director at Vigo, said tariffing foreign traffic is technically possible without detailed separation by type of service, by counting traffic to foreign networks, for example by IP address, which would require configuring packet core and billing elements. Signalling traffic for 5G does run as LTE, he said. [ 5 ]
The restriction of international traffic is described as part of authorities' efforts to reduce Russians' use of VPNs, alongside other measures intended to push IT companies and digital platforms to limit access for users with VPNs switched on. [ 3 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The reports describe the measure as part of Russian authorities' efforts to cut VPN use, which would affect how mobile users reach foreign services. Because the reported threshold applies only to 5G while 5G traffic is still carried on LTE networks, the stated scope is for now largely technical. If introduced, it would add a charge for the heaviest users of international traffic, a group the reports describe as small.
Key facts
- The Digital Ministry is again discussing with mobile operators a fee for international traffic above 50 GB in 5G networks, according to Kommersant-sourced reports. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- No specific decision has been taken; the ministry is considering different options, including the size of the free traffic allowance. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Operators lack a ready technical solution: 5G traffic currently passes through LTE networks, which the reports say makes separate accounting for a 5G charge difficult. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The ministry had said the system should start operating in October 2026, and a source said the timeline could slip. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- In 2025 a private mobile subscriber used about 24 GB of internet traffic a month on average, and 13.8% of subscribers used more than 50 GB, according to expert estimates cited by Kommersant. [ 1 , 4 ]
- In spring 2026 Kommersant-sourced reports said the ministry asked operators to charge 150 rubles for international traffic above 15 GB by 1 May; later reports said operators would not be obliged to introduce the fee before the autumn State Duma elections. [ 4 , 5 ]
- On 7 July 2026 deputy digital development minister Ivan Lebedev said the ministry was not considering a fee for foreign traffic. [ 4 ]
- MegaFon, Beeline, MTS and T2 launched 5G services in 16 cities on 11 September 2026, with about 10 million subscribers gaining access. [ 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Digital Ministry is again discussing with mobile operators a charge for international traffic above 50 GB in 5G networks. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- No concrete decision has been taken, and different options, including the traffic volume, are still under discussion. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Operators have no technical solution at present because 5G traffic runs through LTE networks, and the ministry's planned October launch may be postponed. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The four largest operators launched 5G in 16 Russian cities on 11 September 2026, giving about 10 million subscribers access. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the fee will be introduced at all, at what threshold and when. The reports rely on Kommersant's sources; the ministry has not confirmed the plan, no decision has been taken, and on 7 July the ministry said it was not considering a fee for foreign traffic.
- Whether a charge for international traffic in 5G networks can be implemented technically. Several sources say 5G traffic passing over LTE makes separate accounting technically impossible, while Vigo product director Anton Prokopenko says it can be done by identifying traffic to foreign networks, for example by IP address.
- How the spring scheme — a reported 150 rubles for traffic above 15 GB — relates to the current 50 GB proposal. The documents describe the earlier scheme through Kommersant-sourced reporting, without a formal decision or an explanation of the change.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kommersant-sourced reports say the ministry asked operators to charge 150 rubles for international traffic above 15 GB by 1 May; a later report says the authorities will not oblige operators to introduce the fee before the autumn State Duma elections. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Deputy Digital Development Minister Ivan Lebedev says the ministry is not considering a fee for foreign traffic. [ 4 ]
- MegaFon, Beeline, MTS and T2 launch 5G services in 16 Russian cities; about 10 million subscribers gain access. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Habr News reports, citing Kommersant, that the ministry is discussing a fee for international traffic above 50 GB in 5G networks, compared with an earlier plan for 15 GB and LTE. [ 1 ]
- Vedomosti reports the discussions, saying no decision has been taken and that the timeline may slip. [ 4 ]
- 3DNews reports the plan and quotes Vigo product director Anton Prokopenko saying foreign traffic can be tariffed by identifying traffic to foreign networks, for example by IP address. [ 5 ]