Egypt’s finance ministry considers canceling levy on new mobile phone lines for hampering MNO sales

** #3 EXCLUSIVE- FinMin said to mull canceling fees on new mobile phone lines: The Finance Ministry is considering canceling a levy on new mobile phone line purchases that was imposed at the start of the fiscal year in July, a senior government official told Enterprise. He explained that one-time EGP 50 duty on new lines — which was introduced as part of a package of new administrative service fees meant to help diversify the state’s sources of income — is weighing down mobile network operators’ sales and failing to generate any substantial revenues for state coffers. Officials are studying two alternative approaches that could see them either introduce a completely new service fee or double the stamp tax on mobile phone bills, our source said, adding that the latter is the more likely scenario, given how subtle the collection method is. The government currently collects EGP 6.00 a year from each mobile phone user in monthly increments of EGP 0.50.