Before the new rules came into force, about 90% of subscribers signed two-year contracts, the NMHH said, citing the results of a survey conducted in 2018.

Almost 90% of respondents said they were satisfied with their loyalty contracts. More than half were unaware that subscribers can ask service providers to "unlock" handsets, allowing their use on competitors’ networks, after the term of their loyalty contract expires.

According to the survey, some 68% signed their loyalty contracts in person, while 29% sealed the deal by phone, with only a small number of people using online platforms. Seven out of ten clients said that the service provider informed them about the cost of one- and two-year contracts, as well as those with undefined length.