The Prosecutor General’s Office, in tandem with Roskomnadzor, floated a bold idea: strip cellular operators of their licenses if scammers’ calls are consistently slipping through the network. This report, picked up by Kommersant, quotes Artem Sheikin, deputy chairman of the Council for the Development of the Digital Economy under the Federation Council, who frames the proposal as a potential lever to curb fraud and hold operators accountable.
What is being discussed is not a minor tightening. It concerns mobile providers that regularly fail to connect with numbers used by scammers who prey on unsuspecting customers. Sheikin stresses that implementing such a measure would give authorities a decisive tool to curb illegal activity and compel noncompliant operators to improve their systems and practices.
At present, license revocation is contemplated for a variety of infractions. Among the cited grounds are failures to meet the agreed traffic transmission plan and breaches of the rules governing the use of radio frequencies. These provisions exist to ensure network reliability and prevent harmful interference that can undermine public communication channels.
In response, the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media issued a statement saying they were not aware of any formal initiative from Roskomnadzor and the Prosecutor General’s Office. The absence of official confirmation from the ministry has added a layer of uncertainty to the ongoing discussions, leaving telecom operators and market observers closely watching how the matter might unfold.
Meanwhile, coverage from Vedomosti previously highlighted that cellular tariffs might rise in Russia, a development that could affect consumer costs and operator competitiveness alike. Such reports underscore the broader financial dynamics at play in the sector as regulators consider stronger measures to deter fraud and improve service integrity. In this context, policymakers appear focused on a two-pronged approach: tightening enforcement on operators that fail to prevent scams, and ensuring that the market remains viable for legitimate service provision.
There are voices noting that scammers have already evolved new schemes centered around SIM cards, underscoring the persistent cat-and-mouse game between fraudsters and telecom security teams. The evolving tactics of scammers demand a robust response from regulators and providers, including improved call screening, enhanced authentication procedures, and clearer accountability for operators whose networks are misused in criminal activity. The discussion reflects a broader push to align regulatory frameworks with modern fraud prevention technologies while preserving consumer access to reliable mobile services. (Kommersant)