In Russia, new rules for the turnover of SIM cards may be introduced – in particular, it is proposed not to activate them until the Ministry of Internal Affairs checks the new subscriber. The new measures may complicate the process of connecting to mobile networks for Russian citizens and provoke an increase in their love for "gray" SIM cards.
A few more turns of the nut
The Russian authorities are considering the possibility of strengthening control over the SIM card market and introducing new restrictive measures. According to Kommersant, the plans include changing the SIM card activation algorithm, which could potentially deprive Russians of the opportunity to use a new number immediately after purchase.
Currently, the mechanism for activating a SIM card in Russia works as follows. A citizen or guest of the country, visiting a communication salon or ordering a SIM card remotely, can immediately insert it into their phone and make calls, access the Internet, etc. The passport data that he / she gave to the telecom operator at the conclusion of the contract will be sent for verification to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (MVD) within one month from the moment of signing the contract.
The authorities want to get rid of this algorithm and force operators to activate a newly purchased SIM card only after checking the subscriber's passport data in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is not known how long such a check will take.
You'll have to wait a long time
Currently, a new subscriber connected to the network of a federal or regional operator is checked by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the "background mode". In other words, a Russian citizen does not need to think that his number will not work until law enforcement agencies make sure that he has provided reliable passport data – he simply uses the operator's services paid out of pocket.
According to the interlocutor of the publication, there are currently no specific deadlines for checking the passport data of a new subscriber with the database of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He stressed that if the new initiative of the authorities is adopted, it will take at least two days.
In fact, this process may take longer. "Everything will depend on the integration of systems," the source said.
The authorities deny everything
Sources in two of the four operators of the "big four" told the publication about the tightening of measures to replenish the subscriber base of mobile operators. According to them, the initiative is currently being discussed by representatives of the Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Internal Affairs with market participants and other agencies.
The Ministry of Digital Development clarified to the publication that the ministry did not come up with such an initiative. At the same time, Kommersant's interlocutors in one of the largest federal operators said that right now the new idea of the Russian authorities has not yet "been formalized into a legislative initiative." In other words, the draft law that could be submitted to the State Duma for consideration has not yet been prepared.
Test for the Ministry of Internal Affairs
The new initiative of the authorities is a potential challenge not only for telecom operators, but also directly for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to experts interviewed by the publication. This is due to the fact that in Russia the monthly volume of SIM cards sold is estimated not in the tens or hundreds of thousands, but in the millions.
According to Aisa Badayeva, Director of S+Consulting, only one major Russian operator is able to sell an average of 1.5 million SIM cards per month. According to her, with such volumes, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will need to organize the process of checking new subscribers of mobile operators very efficiently – within no more than one or two days. "Other terms will cause a significant negative impact on the client side," she stressed.
At the same time, the operators themselves are not the only distributors of SIM cards in Russia. Aisa Badayeva also mentioned multi-brand large retail (chains of stores selling electronics and equipment) and local distributors. They account for an average of up to 15% of SIM cards sold by major telecom operators, Badaeva estimated.
More requirements – fewer "white" SIM cards
If the changes take effect, the SIM card sales market in Russia may undergo large-scale changes. "With the introduction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of additional verification of SIM cards, small-scale local retail will probably be the first to drop out of the sales process, since the complexity of the verification process will lead to a significant increase in the burden on employees," Aisa Badayeva told the publication. – If the process of additional verification by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is organized correctly, then large multi-brands will most likely continue to sell. If the only sales channel remains the official retail of operators, then it will be important for them to ensure high availability of points for customers and optimize the process (for example, launch an on-site service)."
Telecom operators believe that the innovation will not bring anything good. As a representative of one of them told the publication, it will make it difficult to conclude new contracts for the provision of communication services both with foreigners who have passports of other countries, and with Russians. It can also destroy the long-established process of remote registration of SIM cards and force Russians to start looking in the direction of "gray" SIM cards. "This in itself can provoke illegal turnover of SIM cards, thereby devaluing the efforts made earlier to whitewash the mobile communications market," the representative of the operator added.
The list of these efforts, among other things, includes new penalties for selling "gray" SIM cards issued without showing a passport. 13.29 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation "Failure to comply with the requirements established by the legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of communications to conclude contracts for the provision of communication services, failure to comply with the procedure for verifying the accuracy of information about the subscriber and information about users of communication services of a subscriber-a legal entity or individual entrepreneur, or information system "Unified identification and authentication system in the infrastructure that provides information and technological interaction of information systems used to provide state and municipal services in electronic form" of information that is required to be entered".
According to the new rules, starting from March 1, 2023, the fine for this offense for officials reaches 50 thousand rubles, and for legal entities – 500 thousand rubles.
Also in the spring of 2023, telecom operators began to put pressure on their subscribers, forcing them to independently confirm their own passport data. They were required to send a photo of a person with an open passport or visit a communication center to check their identity. For disobedience, operators threatened to block the number.
A few more turns of the nut
The Russian authorities are considering the possibility of strengthening control over the SIM card market and introducing new restrictive measures. According to Kommersant, the plans include changing the SIM card activation algorithm, which could potentially deprive Russians of the opportunity to use a new number immediately after purchase.
Currently, the mechanism for activating a SIM card in Russia works as follows. A citizen or guest of the country, visiting a communication salon or ordering a SIM card remotely, can immediately insert it into their phone and make calls, access the Internet, etc. The passport data that he / she gave to the telecom operator at the conclusion of the contract will be sent for verification to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (MVD) within one month from the moment of signing the contract.
The authorities want to get rid of this algorithm and force operators to activate a newly purchased SIM card only after checking the subscriber's passport data in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is not known how long such a check will take.
You'll have to wait a long time
Currently, a new subscriber connected to the network of a federal or regional operator is checked by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the "background mode". In other words, a Russian citizen does not need to think that his number will not work until law enforcement agencies make sure that he has provided reliable passport data – he simply uses the operator's services paid out of pocket.
According to the interlocutor of the publication, there are currently no specific deadlines for checking the passport data of a new subscriber with the database of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He stressed that if the new initiative of the authorities is adopted, it will take at least two days.
In fact, this process may take longer. "Everything will depend on the integration of systems," the source said.
The authorities deny everything
Sources in two of the four operators of the "big four" told the publication about the tightening of measures to replenish the subscriber base of mobile operators. According to them, the initiative is currently being discussed by representatives of the Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Internal Affairs with market participants and other agencies.
The Ministry of Digital Development clarified to the publication that the ministry did not come up with such an initiative. At the same time, Kommersant's interlocutors in one of the largest federal operators said that right now the new idea of the Russian authorities has not yet "been formalized into a legislative initiative." In other words, the draft law that could be submitted to the State Duma for consideration has not yet been prepared.
Test for the Ministry of Internal Affairs
The new initiative of the authorities is a potential challenge not only for telecom operators, but also directly for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to experts interviewed by the publication. This is due to the fact that in Russia the monthly volume of SIM cards sold is estimated not in the tens or hundreds of thousands, but in the millions.
According to Aisa Badayeva, Director of S+Consulting, only one major Russian operator is able to sell an average of 1.5 million SIM cards per month. According to her, with such volumes, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will need to organize the process of checking new subscribers of mobile operators very efficiently – within no more than one or two days. "Other terms will cause a significant negative impact on the client side," she stressed.
At the same time, the operators themselves are not the only distributors of SIM cards in Russia. Aisa Badayeva also mentioned multi-brand large retail (chains of stores selling electronics and equipment) and local distributors. They account for an average of up to 15% of SIM cards sold by major telecom operators, Badaeva estimated.
More requirements – fewer "white" SIM cards
If the changes take effect, the SIM card sales market in Russia may undergo large-scale changes. "With the introduction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of additional verification of SIM cards, small-scale local retail will probably be the first to drop out of the sales process, since the complexity of the verification process will lead to a significant increase in the burden on employees," Aisa Badayeva told the publication. – If the process of additional verification by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is organized correctly, then large multi-brands will most likely continue to sell. If the only sales channel remains the official retail of operators, then it will be important for them to ensure high availability of points for customers and optimize the process (for example, launch an on-site service)."
Telecom operators believe that the innovation will not bring anything good. As a representative of one of them told the publication, it will make it difficult to conclude new contracts for the provision of communication services both with foreigners who have passports of other countries, and with Russians. It can also destroy the long-established process of remote registration of SIM cards and force Russians to start looking in the direction of "gray" SIM cards. "This in itself can provoke illegal turnover of SIM cards, thereby devaluing the efforts made earlier to whitewash the mobile communications market," the representative of the operator added.
The list of these efforts, among other things, includes new penalties for selling "gray" SIM cards issued without showing a passport. 13.29 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation "Failure to comply with the requirements established by the legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of communications to conclude contracts for the provision of communication services, failure to comply with the procedure for verifying the accuracy of information about the subscriber and information about users of communication services of a subscriber-a legal entity or individual entrepreneur, or information system "Unified identification and authentication system in the infrastructure that provides information and technological interaction of information systems used to provide state and municipal services in electronic form" of information that is required to be entered".
According to the new rules, starting from March 1, 2023, the fine for this offense for officials reaches 50 thousand rubles, and for legal entities – 500 thousand rubles.
Also in the spring of 2023, telecom operators began to put pressure on their subscribers, forcing them to independently confirm their own passport data. They were required to send a photo of a person with an open passport or visit a communication center to check their identity. For disobedience, operators threatened to block the number.
