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Tengrinews.kz – Only official telecom operators will be allowed to sell SIM cards. Kazakhstan plans to introduce fines for entrepreneurs who continue to sell SIM cards illegally.
New SIM card sales rules
The Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry (MDDIAI) has published a draft order amending the rules for providing communication services. Once the changes take effect, SIM cards in Kazakhstan will only be available through official telecom operator outlets.
“The regulation proposes that SIM card numbers can only be purchased from official telecom operator offices,” the ministry told Tengrinews.kz in response to an official inquiry.
This means that mobile phone shops, electronics retailers, supermarkets, and corner stores will no longer be able to sell SIM cards. However, the ministry believes this restriction will not create queues or shortages at telecom operator offices.
“Most numbers are now issued online via e-SIM. There's no need to visit an operator’s office in person. Non-official SIM sales are often exploited by fraudsters, who buy SIM cards in bulk and send them abroad,” the ministry added.
Will sellers be penalized?
Entrepreneurs who continue to sell SIM cards outside official operator offices will be fined.
“It is planned to introduce administrative liability in the form of a fine under the Code of Administrative Offenses,” the ministry stated.
The amount of the fine has not yet been specified. The proposed changes are currently under public discussion and have not yet come into force.
Limit of up to 10 SIM cards per person
Another proposed change is to limit the number of SIM cards one person can buy at once — from 5 to 10 SIMs per person.
“Currently, the law does not regulate how many numbers can be registered to one individual. In some cases, over a thousand SIM cards were issued to a single person and used for fraudulent activities. A new amendment under review proposes a limit of 5 to 10 SIM cards per person. To register more, the person must provide supporting documents,” said the MDDIAI.
Plans to introduce this limit were first mentioned in October 2023 by then Vice Minister of Digital Development Askhat Orazbek.
Why these changes are needed
According to the ministry, the amendments are aimed at combating fraud. Many scam calls received in Kazakhstan come from abroad using Kazakh numbers. Scammers buy local SIM cards, leave the country, and then use those numbers to deceive Kazakh citizens.
