Russia will cease the use of 3G technology between 2023-2030.

Russia is planning to disconnect from the 3G communication standard by 2030 as part of their strategy for developing the communication sector until 2035. They will focus on implementing the LTE standard and testing Russian telecommunications equipment in the 5G and 6G-Ready standards.
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According to TASS, as part of the development goal for the communication sector through 2035, the planned disconnection of Russia from the 3G communication standard is anticipated to be finished between 2023 and 2030. Creating and introducing the LTE standard in Russian communication networks is the first step in this plan. In order to do this, 5G and 6G-Ready residential telecoms equipment must be tested and used. Mobile operators are expected to collaborate and share infrastructure to deploy 5G networks. In the future, by 2030, they will also collaborate to implement 6G networks.

Furthermore, there is a desire to enshrine the fundamental principles for the continued development of 4G and 5G networks in Russia through legislation. This includes using the 4,800-4,990 MHz radio frequency range, potentially expanding to 4,400-4,990 MHz, as the primary frequency range for 5G mobile communication networks. Additionally, there are plans to implement native cryptographic information protection (CIPF) tools to defend communication networks.

According to Kommersant newspaper, the disconnection of Russia from the 3G standard has been delayed for several years. Initially, operators aimed to complete the transition from 3G to 4G for most frequencies by 2025. However, challenges in equipment procurement and the slow transition of old mobile devices have necessitated a revision of these plans.