From next month, only prepaid mobile SIM cards whose owners have been identified will remain active, effectively ending anonymity for these connections. Authorities say the change will remove a powerful tool commonly exploited by the underworld and other criminal actors.
The issue of identifying prepaid card holders has been pending in parliament since 2009. The relevant law entered into force on 10 May 2024, giving mobile operators an 18-month window, until 10 November 2025, to notify existing prepaid customers and secure registrations. Because roughly half of prepaid cards remained unidentified, authorities granted a one-month extension to 10 December 2025 to avoid the sudden disconnection of thousands of phones and alarm systems. Officials say no further extensions will be given.
What CIS told MPs
The Cyprus Intelligence Service (CIS) told members of the parliamentary Transport Committee in a closed session that removing anonymity from prepaid cards will significantly aid the prevention, detection and investigation of serious crime, particularly organised crime. CIS officials and law enforcement officers briefed MPs on specific cases and warned that foreign intelligence services and spies operating on the island exploit anonymous prepaid lines. As was put to lawmakers, it takes little more than a €5 prepaid card bought at a kiosk to conceal communications. CIS also said cards purchased in Cyprus are sometimes used by criminal networks abroad.
Operators’ warnings
Mobile operators expressed serious reservations during debates on the legislation. They warned that the measure might not achieve its aim because users employing prepaid cards for illicit purposes could obtain cards from jurisdictions without identification requirements, including the occupied areas. Firms also cautioned that a black market could emerge for stolen or fraudulently registered prepaid packages.
Regulators and parliament have urged operators to intensify public information campaigns during the extension period. The regulator continues to coordinate outreach to businesses and organisations to ensure at-risk groups, such as owners of device SIMs and vulnerable people, are informed so they do not face sudden disconnection when the deadline arrives.