The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) was established pursuant to the Decree No. 1715 of December 3, 2008, of the President of the Russian Federation.

Roskomnadzor is a federal executive authority of the Russian Federation, performing licensing and permit issuing; control and supervision in telecommunications, information technology, and mass communications.

Roskomnadzor is an Authorized Body for protecting the rights of personal data subjects.

The Federal Service comprises ten central office departments for its basic activity lines and seventy five regional offices.

Roskomnadzor is authorized to manage the Radio Frequency Service entities. The Radio Frequency Service comprises the General Radio Frequency Centre Federal State Unitary Enterprise and seven Federal State Unitary Enterprises of the Russian Federal Districts (radio control on the territory of the North Caucasian Federal District is performed by the Radio Frequency Center of the Southern Federal District Federal State Unitary Enterprise).

The General Radio Frequency Center is authorized to assess the feasibility of radio electronic equipment and its electromagnetic compatibility with other radio electronic equipment, including special purpose equipment; and also international coordination and international legal protection of frequency assignments.

The federal district radio frequency centers supervise proper radio spectrum usage and control civil radio electronic equipment emission.

The Scientific Technical Center Informregistr Federal State Unitary Enterprise is also affiliated to Roskomnadzor.

The Scientific Technical Center Informregistr Federal State Unitary Enterprise carries out scientific research and monitoring of various aspects of current Russian information space. The Center executes its statutory duties regarding state registration of information resources and systems.

Until March 2007, licensing and permit issuing activities, control and supervision in telecommunications and mass communications were split among various federal executive authorities of the Russian Federation.

Since the 1990's, the communication industry, just as all the other Russian economy sectors, became market-driven: new technologies were introduced; services were expanded; the number of operators grew; a great number of new communication equipment was imported. The instant industry growth had a side effect in the form of unfair business practices, illegal usage of radio electronic equipment (REE), and jamming of state communication systems.

The situation at hand required implementation of new institutions and advanced regulation practices. On November 15, 1993, the Service for State Supervision of Communications under the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation was established by the Regulation No. 1156 of the Council of Ministers of the Government of the Russian Federation. The Service's authorities included control and condition monitoring of electric and postal communication networks and means; provision of communication services pursuant to licenses, granted under the established procedure and according to established quality standards; and frequency assignment for REE and high frequency devices.

The Service comprised the Central Department of State Supervision of Communications and regional departments and offices.

In 1995, the official Federal Law On Communications authorized the Service to organize and perform state control and supervision.

The Service by-turn reported to the Russian State Committee of Communications and Information Technology (from 1997 to 1999), than to the Russian State Committee of Telecommunications (1999), and further to the Russian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (from 1999 to 2001).

At the back of the Service endeavor work from 1995 to 1999, the number of unlicensed operators decreased fivefold; the number of complaints about performance of telecommunication operators went 20% down; the share of non-certified communication equipment in use decreased significantly.

In 2001, the Service was reorganized pursuant to the Government Regulation No. 380 On Reorganizing the State Supervision System of Communications and Information Technology in the Russian Federation. As a result, the Department for Supervision of Communications and Information Technology in the Russian Federation under the Russian Ministry of Communications was established, along with 77 regional departments, all under a common name of Gossvyaznadzor.

First and foremost, the Department for Supervision of Communications and Information Technology as an administrative body, and Gossvyaznadzor as a regulatory body, performed control and supervision in telecommunications and information technology in order to provide compliance of Russian telecommunication market with license terms and mandatory requirements.

On January 1, 2004, the new Federal Law On Communication came into force, ensuring equal terms for communication service access for all Russian citizens. Later that year, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications (Rossvyaznadzor) was established by the Decree No. 314 of March 9, 2004, of the President of the Russian Federation On the System and Structure of Federal Executive Authorities.

For the first time in the history of Russia, the powers for the state supervision in communications were assigned to a single, dedicated federal executive body.

On April 26, 2004, the Government Regulation No. 223 On Reorganizing the State Supervision System of Communications and Information Technology eliminated Departments of Supervision of Communications and Information Technology of the subjects of the Russian Federation and established corresponding regional offices of Rossvyaznadzor.

The Regulation No. 318 of June 30, 2004, of the Government of the Russian Federation defined the functions of Rossvyaznadzor. They were significantly expanded. Besides organization and performance of state supervision in communications and information technology, Rossvyaznadzor also became responsible for communication service licensing; state adjustment of prices for traffic services offered by the major communication operators; and provision of non-discriminated access to the communications service market.

The General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press was the Roskomnadzor's predecessor in supervision of mass media and mass communications.

The Regulation No. 566 of February 25, 1991, of the RSFSR Council of Ministers reorganized the General Directorate into the State Inspectorate of Protection of Freedom of the Press and Mass Media under the Ministry of the Press and Information of the Russian Federation (now the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications). In 1994, regional departments were established by the order of the State Press Committee of the Russian Federation (former Ministry of the Press and Information, and now the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications). The major purpose of regional departments was realization of Russian national policy in mass media sector, in particular mass media registration, printing activity licensing, protection of freedom of the press and mass media, and mass media statutory compliance monitoring.

In the autumn of 1999, the Russian Ministry for Affairs of the Press, Television and Radio Broadcasting, and Mass Communications (the Russian MPTR) was established. The regional departments joined the Ministry structure; and in August 2000, they were transformed into district and interregional directorates of the Russian Ministry for Affairs of the Press, Television and Radio Broadcasting, and Mass Communications.

District and interregional directorates of the Russian MPTR implemented the national policy in the sector of mass media and mass communications. Additionally they were in charge of registration of mass media and news agencies, and printing activity licensing. The directorates performed the duty of mass media statutory compliance control as well.

In March 2007, the authorities of licensing and permit issuing activities, and supervision in telecommunications and mass communications were joined in a single executive body.

Pursuant to the Decree No. 320 of March 12, 2007, of the President of the Russian Federation, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications and the Federal Service for Supervision of Compliance with the Legislation in Mass Communications and Cultural Heritage Protection were merged into the Federal Service for Supervision of Mass Communications, Telecommunications, and Cultural Heritage Protection (Rossvyazokhrankultura). The newly formed Service reported directly to the Government of the Russian Federation.

The new Federal Service was appointed with additional responsibilities of frequency assignment, managing the Radio Frequency Service activities, and legal regulation of communications control and supervision. In December 2007, the Service entered upon its duties as a Competent Authority for Protecting the Rights of Personal Data Subjects.

The Decree No. 724 of May 12, 2008, of the President of the Russian Federation transformed Rossvyazokhrankultura into the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications and Mass Media (Rossvyazkomnadzor) and the Federal Service for Supervision of Compliance with the Legislation in Cultural Heritage Protection. Rossvyazkomnadzor became affiliated to the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.

Pursuant to the Regulation No. 419 of June 2, 2008, of the Government of the Russian Federation, Rossvyazkomnadzor was assigned with the following functions: control and supervision of mass media (including electronic mass media), mass communications, information technology and telecommunications; supervision and statutory compliance control of personal data processing; and administration of the Radio Frequency Service activities.

Rossvyazkomnadzor was a licensing authority in television and radio broadcasting, communication services, reproduction of audiovisual works and sound recordings on media of any kind.

In addition to this, Rossvyazkomnadzor was in charge of radio frequency or radio frequency channel assignment, and also organized telecommunication license auctions.

The Decree No. 1715 of December 3, 2008, of the President of the Russian Federation transformed Rossvyazkomnadzor into the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor). Roskomnadzor reports directly to the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation as well.