Users will end up paying new ‘9-1-1’ tax, telecoms warn

Santo Domingo.-  Dominican Republic’s telecoms on Tue. reiterated their rejection and concern with the legislative proposal approved by the Senate which seeks financing for the National Emergency Assistance and Security System (9-1-1).

In a statement, Claro, Orange, Tricom, Viva and Wind, say they reject the proposed legislation because the telecom services are already heavily taxed in the country. “Of each RD$100 in the telephone bill RD$30 is transferred to the government; Just in 2016, the state received more than RD$ 22 billion from customers and companies in the sector.”

They also note that the Dominican Republic has the second highest tax burden of the entire region’s telecom services. “The new law aims to charge every minute of long distance calls made from abroad to mobile and fixed numbers in the Dominican Republic, with rates representing more than 45% and 75%, respectively, of the minute termination prices of such incoming international calls.”

They add that if the tax is levied, both Dominicans living abroad and Dominicans who call their relatives, “will be impacted by a chain reaction.”