In 2025, telecom operators blocked 18.45 million SIM cards at the request of Roskomnadzor, which is 76% more than the year before, Kommersant reports. The main reasons were the use of unreliable subscriber data, the lack of information in the Unified Biometric System for foreigners, and exceeding the limit on the number of numbers per person.
From this year on, Russians can register no more than 20 "SIM cards", and foreigners no more than 10. The measures are aimed at combating "gray" SIM cards that are not linked to up-to-date data. The industry notes that the increase in blockings is due to stricter legislation and a large-scale audit of subscriber databases. According to analysts, the dynamics may decline in 2026: after the initial cleaning, the blockings will become more targeted.
Experts believe that the fight against illegal SIM cards is accelerating the transformation of the telecom market. Operators are increasingly focusing not on increasing the number of subscribers, but on increasing revenue per client and developing digital services. At the same time, increased control may lead to additional burden on bona fide users due to verification procedures and possible technical failures.