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Russia Discusses Extra Fees for International Traffic Over 50 GB in 5G Networks

The Russian Ministry of Digital Development is again in talks with mobile operators about introducing charges for international data traffic exceeding 50 GB per month, but only within 5G networks. The measure would potentially apply to VPN services and other foreign resources, adding to users' mobile bills. No final decision has been reached and the exact fee amount remains unspecified. Sources indicate a possible launch in October, though timelines are subject to change. Technical challenges arise because current 5G deployments rely on LTE infrastructure, requiring new traffic separation, network handover tracking, and billing system adjustments. Average monthly mobile data usage stood at 24 GB in 2025, making the 50 GB international 5G threshold a narrow scenario. Headlines claiming VPNs will become paid services overstate the current discussions, which focus solely on international traffic classification.

AntiMalwareTranslated from Russian

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The Russian MinTsifry is once more discussing with mobile operators the introduction of tariffs for international data traffic, this time limited to volumes above 50 GB and exclusively in 5G networks.

According to Kommersant, one source links a possible rollout to October, while cautioning that deadlines may shift. The size of any potential payment has not been disclosed in the current draft. MinTsifry did not respond to the publication, and operators declined to comment.

The main obstacle remains technical. Existing 5G networks are integrated with LTE infrastructure, and operators currently lack a ready mechanism for such granular billing, sources say. Experts believe the task is solvable but will require separating traffic types, accounting for handovers between networks, and reconfiguring billing systems.

Another pending issue is defining which traffic qualifies as international. Media headlines suggesting that VPN services will become paid therefore jump ahead of events: the discussion concerns charges for overseas traffic that could also affect other services. The proposed threshold is also substantial. Estimates show that in 2025 the average subscriber consumed 24 GB of total mobile data per month, making 50 GB of exclusively international 5G traffic a far narrower use case.

MinTsifryKommersant
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