FAS Clears Russian Operators on 'Unlimited' Internet Claims Despite Speed Throttling to 128 Kbit/s
The Federal Antimonopoly Service has declined to investigate complaints regarding promises of unlimited internet and unrestricted roaming access made by major Russian mobile operators. The Association of Professional Users of Social Networks and Messengers argued that operators including Vimpelcom, MegaFon, MTS, and T2 Mobile mislead customers by advertising unlimited plans while throttling speeds to 128-512 Kbit/s after data caps are reached. FAS determined that information on official company websites does not qualify as advertising under Russian law. Operators maintain that the term unlimited remains accurate because no total data volume limit exists, only speed reductions detailed in service descriptions. The complainants and legal experts contend that FAS reviewed only technical parameter pages and ignored banners, promotional news, search ads, SMS, and push notifications that may meet legal criteria for advertising. The decision leaves consumers facing slow connections unsuitable for video or file downloads after initial allowances are exhausted.
AntiMalwareSep 29, 2026Translated from Russian