Comments on: Sri Lanka: Same Broadband; Different Taxes?

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By: Chanuka Wattegama

Chanuka Wattegama — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:23:57 +0000

Well, now my friend Abu too might jump in saying WiMax is not a technology, but a standard!

The question is does all the matter to a consumer?

By: Mahinda Herath

Mahinda Herath — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:10:16 +0000

The contention that “Wi-Max is very much a ‘fixed’ technology” is not accurate. WiMAX 16d is fixed and WiMAx 16e is mobile.

By: Rohan Samarajiva

Rohan Samarajiva — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:38:11 +0000

Good response from Chanuka.

Tax comes in various forms. The LKR 31 per LKR 100 of mobile use is pass through. Taxes on the consumer, collected by the operator for the govt.

For example, the TRC increased by close to 300% spectrum fees this year. This is, in the end, a tax on the consumer, though it does not look like one.

In LK, the telcos for the most part have tax concessions because of BOI status. In Bangladesh they pay 45% corporate tax. This is why it’s difficult to compare tax levels, without a comprehensive study like that done by GSMA. We are still not the highest. There will likely be more: http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?nid=544920901

By: Chanuka Wattegama

Chanuka Wattegama — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:42:22 +0000

Kasun, Sorry Rohan is out of the country at the moment. Till he finds time for a better response let me your questions.

1. GSM Association has released a report on mobile taxes in 2005. http://www.gsmworld.com/news/press_2005/press05_22.shtml According to that Turkey with 44% was the country that imposes the highest tax percentage. (But this is not just on usage) This information might be outdated now, because many South Asian countries recently have started taxing mobile usage charges. 30% might not be the highest, but still high.

2. Re: SMS tax. Have you got it correctly? I think you pay 16 cents for Rs. 1 SMS, not 50 cents SMS. (which is 15% VAT and 1.5% Social Responsibility Levy or something - both are hidden from end users) Who is your operator?

By: kasun

kasun — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:22:35 +0000

off topic quetion because i see Mr.Rohan here,do we have like the highest tax rate on this earth for mobile telephony services? its 30.33% at the moment.
another interesting thing is you’re charged more than that,more often than not(when it comes to fractions on cents),who gets that extra amount? service provider,government……???????
eg:when you send a text which is priced a 50 cents you get charged 66 cents!!! if i’m not too lousy with maths thats 32% on tax…now what the h*ll is up with that

By: Mayooresan

Mayooresan — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 06:22:07 +0000

Thanks for point out Malinda..
I don’t know why these ppl are messing everything as they wish. God saves us!

By: Rohan Samarajiva

Rohan Samarajiva — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:44:59 +0000

Malinda is to be congratulated.

In addition, it appears that the TRC has increased spectrum charges by around 300 percent, which means that wireless users are being penalized even more than Malinda shows.