The Kremlin has ordered mobile operators to allow telephone users keep their numbers after changing their operators, presidential aide Arkady Dvorkovich said. "An order has been given to introduce rules that will oblige companies to allow subscribers to keep their numbers after changing companies, and thus eliminate the so-called "mobile slavery." According to the order, the Communications Ministry is to submit its proposals on how to implement this policy by July 1. This step will finally end this issue of mobile and fixed telephone services subscribers being able to preserve their numbers, which has been going since 2005. However, Russian mobile operators are skeptical about ьobile number portability, saying that it will be expensive to implement, while the service will not be popular among subscribers.