Roskomnadzor Expands Control: Telecom Operators to Share More SIM Card Owner Data
The Ministry of Digital Development published a draft government decree on August 30, 2023, proposing changes to the rules for how telecom operators transmit subscriber information to Roskomnadzor and verify the accuracy of this data.
Currently, these rules are regulated by Decree No. 1313. According to this decree, operators are required to provide personal data of subscribers, including full name, date of birth, passport details, organization names, taxpayer identification number (INN), primary state registration number (OGRN) for legal entities, information about the period and volume of communication services provided, as well as details on how the accuracy of this data was confirmed. The document also mandates encryption of all transmitted information, except for data on the volume of services provided. Personal data and company details are also hashed for additional protection.
The new draft decree proposes expanding the list of information to be transmitted. In addition to the existing data, it will now include the date the service contract was signed, the start date of services for corporate clients, and a list of phone numbers assigned by operators to government clients.
The requirement to hash company details is also being removed, as this information is considered public. The new rules are set to take effect on September 1, 2024.
Roskomnadzor representatives emphasized that the new draft clarifies the list of data to be transmitted, including the names of legal entities, INN, and OGRN. The Ministry of Digital Development explained that the removal of hashing for organization names, INN, and OGRN is due to the public nature of this information.
These changes are expected to improve the detection of illegal use of subscriber numbers, particularly in the fight against “gray” SIM cards.
Experts believe that the changes “will not significantly affect private subscribers, but will help verify the accuracy of data on the real owners of corporate SIM cards.” Major telecom operators describe the changes as technical and explain the delayed implementation as necessary to upgrade data exchange systems for both the operators and Roskomnadzor.
Since the beginning of spring, Roskomnadzor has stepped up measures against owners of “gray” SIM cards. In April, operators began sending notifications and SMS messages to subscribers, asking them to confirm their data by visiting service offices or using the “Gosuslugi” app. Sources reported that by the end of August, about 7 million “gray” SIM cards were at risk of being blocked.