10 SIM cards per “corporate” citizen of Russia. Has an unspoken ban already been introduced at State Services?
Quite a lot of time has passed since the tightening of supervision over “gray” SIM cards (more precisely, June 1, 2021). Telecom operators are under pressure to constantly check the reliability of subscriber databases.
Amendments to Federal Law-533 were designed to combat “illegal” corporate SIM cards. A mechanism for verifying subscribers through an account on State Services was enabled. Operators were given access to the unified identification and authentication system, and the liability in the form of fines was increased to 500 thousand rubles. for each fact of inaccurate data about the subscriber.
Regular reports from the RKN that the number of unreliable SIM cards is constantly decreasing have inspired optimism until today. But, apparently, the real results of the work do not suit everyone.
Just yesterday, one mobile telecom operator sent out “another warning” through communication channels about the inadmissibility of distributing SIM cards in crowded places.
And today there is a new notification. Quote from the newsletter:
“In connection with the strengthening, from March 12, 2024, on a temporary basis by the regulator of measures to control the process of identifying subscribers and confirming the reliability of data about them, as well as to ensure security requirements, we inform you about the current requirements and possible restrictions:
· registration of SIM cards only in the physical presence of the client (individual);
· all SIM cards activated and not registered to an individual will be blocked one day after activating the SIM card;
· SIM cards registered to an individual that have not passed verification of passport data by checking the accuracy of the data in state information systems will be blocked one day after registration;
Confirmation of user numbers may be limited: for personal data alone, confirmation of no more than 10 numbers from all telecom operators (including previously confirmed ones). The restriction will be established on the side of State Services“
Two conclusions from the newsletter:
“Collective farms” are finally dying. The resale market for corporate SIM cards is actually dying out: the physical presence of the subscriber is required.
No more than 10 numbers per corporate employee.
Earlier in November 2023, the Ministry of Digital Development already proposed adding a section with information about registered SIM cards for each citizen to the State Services portal. This did not go further than the initiative.
In March 2022, the Ministry of Digital Development also prepared draft amendments to the Federal Law “On Communications,” which proposed limiting up to 100 SIM cards per company employee. But that’s how it all died down. The project was shelved.
And so, without waiting for the amendments to be adopted, the State Services apparently are secretly introducing a restriction: 10 SIM cards per “corporate hands.” Why such haste? How does this correlate with Federal Law-533? After all, there are no such restrictions.
If this is the initiative of the operator-author of the newsletter, then the legality of such a restriction raises concerns and at least amounts to arbitrariness. If not more serious. And if this is an initiative of the Ministry of Digital Development, then I would like official comments on this topic.
Or maybe this is all connected with the upcoming elections? And these kinds of restrictions are being introduced in connection with possible attempts to falsify DEG (remote electronic voting)?
What versions do you have on this matter?
