Smart smarting at SMS tax plan

Mobile operator Smart Communications has hit out at a proposal to impose a tax on SMS, reports local newspaper BusinessMirror. Quezon province Rep. Danilo Suarez has submitted a position paper to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) calling for a PHP0.05 (USD0.001) tax to be levied on each text message sent. The cellco claims that the plan, if implemented, would give investors an impression that the government ‘punishes successful commercial investments through the tax on the perceived huge revenues of SMS providers.’