PM Erdogan signals reduction in electronic communications tax. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan signalled that the government considers reducing the tax on electronic communication services. Erdogan said that the government was studying on a plan that envisages reducing the tax on GSM services, fixed-line telephone services and internet services. The telecommunication board officials prepared a report and proposed reducing the special communication tax levied on the GSM services gradually to 5% from the current 25%, reported the daily Referans . At the first phase, the tax rate could be reduced to 15% and afterwards to 5%, officials from the telecom board told the daily. On a related note, transport minister Binali Yildirim said that the total number of GSM subscribers in Turkey exceeded 50mn, while the corresponding figure for fixed-line telephone services is 19mn.