Internet tax cuts

The Ministry of Finance has bowed to pressure from mobile operators, led by Turkcell, and announced that the Special Communication Tax (a value added sales tax) on mobile internet will be decreased from 25% to 5% and on fixed internet from 15% to 5%. A Turkcell statement said, ‘We welcome the equalisation of mobile and fixed internet taxation. We evaluate this decision of our government as a very positive development for both consumers and the telecommunication industry.’ The operators had argued the high level of taxation was hampering subscriber take-up of the related services.