In Russia, there is a growing demand for SIM cards from foreign operators, which may be due to difficulties in authorizing on foreign platforms. In July 2024, there were about 850,000 such cards, and by the beginning of September, their number had increased to 1 million. These SIM cards are mainly used to receive SMS access codes, as they are not used to access the Internet or make voice calls, according to Izvestia.
The growing demand for foreign SIM cards in Russia is explained by the blocking of a number of foreign Internet services and the inability to use Russian numbers for registration. Problems with access to banking services contribute to the increasing popularity of such cards.
However, there are risks associated with the use of foreign SIM cards. For example, some users may face blocking, as passively receiving SMS is not considered an activity necessary to maintain subscriber activity. In addition, maintaining the operation of such a card requires regular payment, which may be difficult due to difficulties with international payments.
Experts also note that using foreign numbers is no longer sufficient to circumvent the restrictions imposed by services that refuse to serve users from Russia. Now, such services can additionally analyze IP addresses, email addresses, and other parameters. This makes the use of virtual mobile numbers a more convenient and cost-effective option for registering on international platforms.
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