Only a third of Belarusians' phones can support 5G technology
The development of fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication networks continues in Belarus, but for now, far from all Belarusians can take advantage of the new technology.
Illustrative photo. Photo: magnific.com
According to Oleg Syadzyelnik, General Director of the company "Belarusian Cloud Technologies", only about 30% of mobile phones in the country support 5G networks. At the same time, some smartphone manufacturers have limited the use of this function for Belarus.
According to Syadzyelnik, over the past five years, the volume of Internet traffic in the country has increased threefold. At the same time, the total capacity of mobile operators' networks has only doubled. This is due to the fact that people are increasingly using video, online games, and other resource-intensive content.
The problem becomes especially noticeable during the summer period. On weekends, many city residents go to dachas and rural areas, where they also actively use the internet. As a result, mobile operators have to not only build new base stations but also increase network capacity in such areas.
The project for the implementation of 5G in Belarus began in April 2025. In Minsk, connection to fifth-generation networks started at the end of last year. In early April 2026, mobile operators announced the launch of the new technology.
In April, it was reported that the 5G network was operating in Minsk and almost all regional centers of the country. Hrodna remained an exception, where, according to representatives of the Ministry of Communications and Informatization, additional equipment setup was required. Thus, 5G coverage in Belarus is gradually expanding, but for full utilization of the new capabilities, more users need to have compatible smartphones.