WhatsApp Tax In Zambia – Voice Over Internet Protocol Tax

VoIP (voice over IP) is the transmission of voice and multimedia content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. VoIP is basically  a telephone connection over the Internet. The data is sent digitally, using the Internet Protocol (IP) instead of analog telephone lines.

So VoIP allows people to talk to one another long-distance and around the world without having to pay long distance or international phone charges. For VoIP to  work the receiving end must have the device that support VoIP. In this case no extra charges are borne other than data. However a small charge will be required to have the call routed to a mobile phone or landline.

Skype credit charges 42 cents per minute for international calls from Zambia.

Examples of top apps using VoIP, VoIP to landline or mobile and to SIPs are

• Facebook Messenger. Price: Free. …
• Google Duo. Price: Free. …
• Google Hangouts. Price: Free. …
• Skype. Price: Free. …
• Signal Private Messenger. Price: Free. …
• Viber Messenger. Price: Free with in-app purchases. …
• WhatsApp. Price: Free. …
• Zoiper IAX SIP VOIP Softphone

Knowledge Fact: Did you know that Google Hangouts can route calls to a SIP number in the United States of America for Free. This enable people in Zambia to call a mobile or landline number in America for free as long as they are using Google Hangout. Other Apps like Skype may require you pay if you want to make a call from VoIP to SIPs

WhatsApp Taxi In Zambia

I am tempted to give a personal comment (implications, benefits) on the newly proposed VoIP tax referred to also as WhatsApp Tax in Zambia but will not do so. Due to high usage of WhatsApp in Zambia, this new tax proposed is referred to as Whatsapp Tax In Zambia.

These and many other issues affecting internet users in our country can only be discussed fully if we had a multistakeholder umbrella platform called the Zambia Internet Governance Forum.

As an Internet Governance activist, Connecting the next Billion is one of the central issues on the international Internet and was the a key working theme at the Internet Governance Forum held in Joao Pessoa, Brazil in 2015.

It still remains a cardinal topic which greatly supports developing countries agenda in connectivity.

Connecting the next billion actually brings out these issues.

• connect new users
• lower connectivity cost
• create opportunities for access

How will the VOIP Tax help in Connecting the Next Billion?

Source Content Michael Ilishebo