Mobile communication is increasingly being sold alongside cards, deposits, and subscriptions. T-Bank, Sber, VTB, Gazprombank, PSB, and Alfa-Bank have already launched their own virtual operators. Smaller players are also joining them: in 2026, even Solidarnost Bank launched its own communication services.
However, banks do not build towers or lay their own networks. They operate on an MVNO model — they lease infrastructure from regular operators and sell tariffs, SIM cards, and additional services under their own brand. For example, SberMobile uses MegaFon and T2 networks, while T-Mobile can operate through T2, MTS, and Beeline.
Even such a launch is not cheap. Creating a virtual operator with coverage in major cities can require about 1.5–1.7 billion rubles in the first year. The money goes to the IT platform, cloud capacities, SIM card procurement, marketing, and payment for access to third-party networks.
The benefit for the bank does not start with payment for minutes and gigabytes. Customers are lured with free months, bonuses for number porting, and discounts for card purchases. Even if the communication itself brings little money or remains unprofitable, the user more often opens the banking application, connects a subscription, applies for other products, and is less likely to switch to a competitor.
Growth is already noticeable. By the end of 2025, SberMobile had 6.3 million users — 2.6 times more than a year earlier. T-Mobile had five million paying subscribers by May 2026, and including all active SIM cards over three months — about 7.5 million.
However, a bank SIM card rarely becomes the only one. According to experts, no more than 1% of customers use it as their primary number. More often, it is taken as a second or third — for a favorable tariff, bonuses, spam protection, or travel. Traditional operators retain more familiar applications, family offers, home internet, and a wide range of services.
But banks gain another valuable resource — data on customer behavior. Mobile communication helps to better understand their movements, habits, and needs. This information can be used for personalized offers, risk assessment, and anti-fraud system configuration. That is why the payback period for the project can extend to five to ten years, but banks continue to invest anyway.
Bank operators are unlikely to directly displace the "big four": they still depend on their networks and rental costs. However, additional competition will force the market to more actively offer discounts, improve coverage, and add new features. By 2030, the share of virtual operators could grow to 16.5%, especially since Yandex and Wildberries also plan to enter the market.
As a result, the simple sale of minutes and gigabytes takes a back seat. Banks will compete with smart assistants, fraud protection, AI assistants, and communication integrated into financial services. And in response, regular operators are increasingly turning into banks — issuing cards, accruing cashback, and making communication cheaper for purchases.