Tax earnings from Ooredoo, Telenor top US$1bn

Foreign telecoms operators Ooredoo and Telenor have paid more than K1.1 trillion (US$1 billion) in taxes to the government, Deputy Minister for Communications and Information Technology U Win Than told the Pyithu Hluttaw on July 10, state-run media reported.

U Win Than said Ooredoo had so far paid K741.753 billion ($757.5 million), or 75 percent of the $1.010 billion in taxes it was required to pay over the period, with the balance due this fiscal year.

He said Telenor had so far paid K363.155 billion ($375 million) of the $500 million it owes the ministry, with the balance to be paid this fiscal year, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

The two companies are licensed to operate in Myanmar for 15 years from February 5, 2014, it said.

U Win Than was responding to a question from Dr Win Myint of Yangon Region’s Hlaing constituency.

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The deputy minister also said that Myanma Posts and Telecommunications and its joint venture partner, KSGM Co., Ltd, had sold more than 8.66 million SIM cards from September 2014 to June, earning K9.154 billion, and K574.967 billion from calls, mobile data and recharges.

MPT, which is licensed for 15 years from March 24, 2014, does not have to pay tax, U Win Than said.

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