Like in Russia? State Special Communication Service of Ukraine wants to collect data on all owners of sim-cards

State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine made an offer to introduce mandatory registration of all subscribers of mobile communication in Ukraine.

As reported by the Liga.net, referring to the relevant draft bill published on the website of the State Communications Service.

State Communications Service proposes to retain the clients’ right to conclude a contract in written or any other form with cellular operators. But plans to oblige Telecom companies to collect personal information of all users without exception.

In the same document, the State Communications Service proposes to renew the practice of maintaining the database of unique IMEI-codes identifiers.

As explained by the State Communications Service, the lack of a registering system and unique codes of mobile devices impedes the implementation of measures of national security “under the conditions of cyber threats”.

“In addition, the use of a variety of end user equipment (iPhones, iPads, communicators, smartphones, mobile phones, etc.) amid the growing range of telecommunications-based services requires attention, as the uncontrolled number of the end user equipment in the circulation contributes the spread of “mobile fraud” and other cyber crimes”, – as stated by the State Communication Service.

As envisioned by the State Communication Service, the other departments will have only three months, from the moment of adoption of the law, to adapt its normative acts.

On Tuesday, the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications approved the draft bill of the State Communications Service, but with significant comments.

In particular, the regulator proposes to increase the transition period and extend it for six months. During this time, subscribers who are currently anonymously receiving services will have to provide their personal data to operators.

Conversely, the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informalization (NCSRCI) is preparing to introduction of changes. It has developed the procedure for registering subscribers without signing a contract in written form, in other words prepaid-subscribers. It will be possible to submit personal information in electronic form.

The NCSRCI considered the second part of the draft bill (on registration of IMEI-codes) as very gray. And has hope that the administration of the communications will finalize it.

Even representatives of mobile operators say that the proposed bill is far from perfect. “This law is written unprofessionally. We disagree with it!”, – wrote Petro Chernyshov, CEO of the Kyivstar company.

Vodafone Ukraine is ready to support the changes and are ready to implement electronic registration of subscribers, but provided that the interests of customers are observed.

“The most important risk is that some subscribers, who won’t be able to register in time, can be left, according to the bill, without communication services”, – said Victoria Pavlovska, Press-secretary of the Vodafone Ukraine.

The IMEI system for monitoring the gray import of mobile phones began operating in Ukraine in 2009. And in 2014 Yaroslav Hinka, Deputy from the Udar political party, made amendments to the law, according to which Ukrainian State Centre of Radio Frequencies lost such function. And it became unnecessary to register IMEI.

As for the projects aimed at “passportization” of subscribers, the State Communications Service has made such attempts in the past. The last attempt was in 2015.