Mandatory caller identification for calls made by legal entities in Kazakhstan may be introduced later than originally planned. Telecommunications operators have requested that the implementation deadline be postponed to the first quarter of 2027, El.kz reports.
Revised implementation timeline
The introduction of caller identification was first proposed in early summer, with implementation initially expected to begin in autumn 2026. However, the 70 telecommunications operators currently providing services to the public face a substantial volume of technical work, making it difficult to complete the necessary preparations within the originally envisaged timeframe.
At a government briefing, Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee Damir Seisembekov said that telecommunications operators had formally submitted a request to postpone the implementation. According to him, the Ministry is positively considering the request in order to avoid imposing an additional regulatory and operational burden on businesses.
The official also clarified that 11 companies hold licences to provide long-distance and international telecommunications services. The remaining operators operate under standard telecommunications licences. Nevertheless, all operators will be required to upgrade their systems, as virtually all of them provide telephony services.
How the system will work
Instead of displaying an unfamiliar telephone number, the recipient’s screen will show the name of the organisation making the call, such as a bank, healthcare facility, or other company. The system is expected to function even when the caller’s number has not been saved in the subscriber’s contacts.
Similar mechanisms have long been used in other countries as a measure to combat telephone fraud. Displaying the verified name of an organisation alongside an incoming call makes it easier for recipients to distinguish legitimate calls from potentially fraudulent ones, reducing the need to independently verify an unfamiliar number online before answering.
Legislative amendments providing for mandatory caller identification have already been adopted, with some provisions already in force. The Ministry is currently developing rules governing the provision of telecommunications services. The document will establish the technical requirements and procedures governing the operation of the caller identification system by telecommunications operators.
When to expect the final implementation dates
According to Seisembekov, the draft rules are currently undergoing inter-agency coordination with government authorities. The Minister is expected to sign the relevant order by mid-October, with the specific implementation dates to be set out in that document.
Although the decision to postpone the implementation has not yet been formally approved, the Ministry’s position indicates that the operators’ request is likely to be granted. This means that Kazakhstan’s residents are unlikely to start receiving identified calls from banks and other companies before the beginning of 2027.
