2018 Special Communication Tax Rates in Turkey

Many different taxes were increased for 2018, and fees and traffic fines were also raised. This naturally leads to the question: how much is the special communications tax for 2018? The special communications tax that will apply in 2018 has been subject to increases, and those changes affect everyday life. Communication services such as telephone and internet—among the most used services—are impacted, so many people are asking what the rate will be in 2018. Recent announcements indicate that an increase in the special communications tax has been planned.

The special communications tax influences a wide range of activities. It applies to many services, from internet access to telephone conversations. Reports mention a 50% increase applied to the special communications tax on internet services. As 2018 approached, news about tax increases began circulating widely. That prompted renewed interest in the question: how much is the special communications tax for 2018? Recent increases have affected many areas, from motor vehicle tax to passport fees, and one of the areas affected is telecommunications. Historically the special communications tax most prominently affected mobile phone services, but the latest adjustments also anticipate higher charges for home internet services.

One commonly reported answer to the question how much is the special communications tax for 2018 is that a 50% increase will be applied.

In previous years, different services were subject to different special communications tax rates. Under a recent reform, those various rates were consolidated into a single standard rate. Previously separate rates—such as 25%, 15% and 5%—were unified and set at 7.5%. Many users interpreted this change as a 50% increase because the internet access tax that had been 5% was raised to 7.5%. That change was reported as effectively a 50% rise in the special communications tax applied to internet connections.

The question how much is the special communications tax for 2018 affects all segments of society because the answer determines how much people will pay. The special communications tax applies across many areas, from fixed telephone lines to SMS services. For example, the special communications tax applied to SMS services is around 25%, while the rate applied to fixed telephone lines is around 15%. These variations show how the special communications tax impacts people’s ability to access the internet and communicate with each other.

Previously, taxes were also levied on overseas internet usage by the finance authority. The most recent regulatory change eliminates tax collection on internet services used abroad. As a result, costs for overseas internet use are expected to decrease. Under the new regulation, value-added tax (VAT) and the special communications tax will not be applied to phone calls and internet usage abroad. In response to the question how much is the special communications tax for 2018, it is known that no special communications tax will be charged on overseas internet usage in 2018. This change allows for a noticeable reduction in charges for internet use abroad; current estimates suggest roughly a 25% fall in those costs compared with previous prices.