social media tax – TECH POINT MAGAZINE

After UGX 200BN allocated to MPs OTT tax, Can the Tax survive?

Humphrey Mpairwe — Sat, 18 May 2019 07:20:53 +0000

On 1st July 2018, the Ministry of Finance announced a new entry to the national budget spicers league and that was OTT tax widely known as Social media tax __since its directly levied on major gossip platforms. The Move had been previously approved by Members of Parliament who voted in the right path of having platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, tune the overall URA income with atleast a 1% increase spike.

Well, the same Members of Parliament who approved OTT tax in Uganda earlier this week received alerts of exemption from the Internet affiliated Tax. As a matter of fact, Many MPs were glad to know that their iPads would finally have a taste of free OTT coupled with 5GB of free monthly Internet loaded on their MTN Numbers.

However, before the jubilation streak hit its highs, the Speaker came out to disown the policy with plans to have every MP pay for the tax and not rely on parliament to have it cleared on their behalf. More so, a section of Vote compliant MPs also switched sides to reject the offer that had invited parliamentary bids won by MTN Uganda as the better smiling telco to cater for the MPs.

Once the UGX 200bn Is Approved, Ugandan MPs will have free Monthly Data of 5GB valued at 30,000/= and Free OTT tax valued at 6,000/=

As the Mix up continues to rise with plans to renegotiate about the MP OTT benefits offer later this month. The fate of Parliamentary OTT tax may soon sink in the deeps of unpopularity depending on the public outcry of No OTT payments for MPs. However, since URA previously filed billions of income resulting from the 200/= 24hrs valid tax, then chances are that OTT tax may reign for a 2nd term in Uganda.

Now that MPs are still dragging sides on whether to clear their OTT bills coupled with free Monthly data to be used on the Parliament provided high-grade iPads. We expect to see the proposal filed by MTN Uganda go through without any media questioning once this month elapses. Nonetheless, with over UGX 200 billion allocated to this exercise, free OTT tax to MPs would show that Over the Top services can only be directly accessed by VIPs leaving the Netizens in a hide and seek game with VPNs dominating the square

Social media tax (OTT) finally boils up with the arrest of MP Hon Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine)

Staff Editor — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:30:45 +0000

Social media tax aliased as Over the Top tax (OTT) was introduced 10 months ago on 1st July as Uganda’s GDP spicer micing a UGX 200 coin per user willing to access any of the taxed social media platforms. The after month of this announcement saw politicians and netizens protest against the tax by signing online petitions and taking it to the streets together with a charges in court against the new tax.

While VPNs became the ultimate saviors from OTT tax with maximum downloads detected on smartphones to a point that UCC instructed service providers to put a stop to this. Protesters never stopped airing their views about the tax and its to this that a stronghold opposition politician Hon Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine will be answering charges related to the protests against social media tax in Uganda.

Well, does this mean all social media tax protesters will face the dock to answer charges of protesting against a GDP spicer? Yes/No the great question of the day would lie back to the legislators who previously bowed to the 0.5% mobile money tax sequence.

So, as court will soon make its ruling on the new social media tax charges, the arrest means UCC’s take on OTT tax violaters would see everyone bypassing it with VPNs facing the same dock. Henceforth, the results of social media tax in Uganda seem to be boiling from a partially filled pot proving a point of erasing the free Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter dreams from the Ugandan timeline.

Forget about VPNs: Enjoy free access via TMWhatsapp without social media tax

Joe Jinja — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 10:30:47 +0000

In June 2018, the Ugandan Government through its core finance ministry announced what was coming next in the 2018/19 financial year. On 1st July at exactly 00:00, Whatsapp groups were muted, Facebook timelines zeroed up with no updates as Twitter was flogged with a #Socialmediatax hashtag.

Well, the time for a new tax had come as prophesized. Since then, internet users have triggered the internet for available VPN & OTT tax alternatives. However, we discovered a new and long lasting solution to the social media tax barriers proudly designed & developed in Uganda.

TM Whatsapp is a Whatsapp mod which is in no way different from GB WhatsApp and all other popular mods. While TM stands for Titus Mukisa who doubles as the developer for this particular version. You won’t have to battle with paying social media tax anymore with this Whatsapp version.

History of TMWhatsapp: Who owns it, and how it is built

TM Whatsapp as we denoted earlier is an individual project by one of Uganda’s IT geeks Titus Mukisa who came up with his own idea long before the full list of OTT services was released. Battling through the competition with a GB Whatsapp variant in his mind, TM Whatsapp is the only version that currently gives you free access without downloading any VPN.

To the history of this mighty Whatsapp version. It started as a Softek Ware systems app that was used by IT geeks combined in one Whatsapp group to share ideas and tricks in the digital world. However, as we speak the App has received immerse downloads after the emergence of OTT tax and its sibling Mobile money tax.

With TM Whatsapp, social media tax and VPNs are a story of the past as it’s pre-built with unique VPN proxies. At this point, Let’s dive into the features embedded in this proudly Ugandan Whatsapp version.

Top TMWhatsapp features

Added VPN proxy to unblock blocked WhatsApp.
Send multi messages to many contacts at once.
Converting app style – WAMOD style.
Able to switch to old UI
Background animations: snow, rain, lightning, water etc.
Deletes/recalls messages sent by mistake even after hours or days.
Manage group. (Only admins can send messages in groups)
Freeze/pause/fake your (Last Seen).
Extended expiry date.
Auto-reply (Auto-reply messages when you are busy).
Sleep mode (Disable internet on WhatsApp).
New Conversation Bubbles, ticks and icons added.
Anti-Recall (Prevents messages from being deleted from your side)
Hide custom chats (using pattern).
Counter statistics for groups.
Hide admin caption in groups.
Online and Last Seen popups on the main screen
Theme Server (to download/apply themes), change ticks & bubble styles.
Send audios with a size of 100MBs instead of the 16MBs on normal WhatsApp.
Send videos with size of 100MBs instead of the 16MBs on normal WhatsApp.
Send 100 documents at once instead of 30 on normal WhatsApp.
Send 100 images at once instead of 10 images on normal WhatsApp.
Increase video status to 7 minutes instead of 30 seconds on normal WhatsApp.
Schedule messages to be sent later (No more need to wake up to wish a friend a happy birthday).
Change your status and add up to 250 characters instead of 139 characters on normal WhatsApp.
Send text broadcasts to groups.
Distinguish between normal messages and broadcast messages.
Filter messages when you clear chat.
Copy a friend’s status.
Change the app’s icon and notifications icon.
Able to run alongside any other installed WhatsApp so you don’t need to uninstall your other WhatsApps.
And many other features …..try it out to discover them by yourself.

To access Whatsapp you need to pay OTT Tax or use a VPN, But with TM Whatsapp you need none of those

How to download TM Whatsapp

Similar to any other Android App, you’ll need to manually install this app’s Android package (apk) to your phone. In case you don’t know how, worry not we detailed the procedures here.

To fully download the official TM Whatsapp apk, head over to the Software website (a Ugandan IT solutions website) and hover through the archives. As much as, the website offers many apps available for download, search, and select TM Whatsapp to download it using any of the available links.

Through the same fashion, you can also download the app right here on Tech Point Magazine through our sister site (Android Comet) by using the button below:

Download TMWhatsApp

Updates & legal files

The core basis of any software or application is the legality of its operations and data usage. At this point, TM Whatsapp which is solely developed by a one Titus Mukisa who we still hail up as a hero in this OTT age offering some of the best solutions has legal files and updates generated periodically as Whatsapp continues to unleash new builds. To access the TM legal files, visit the software website to access the archives listed for this awesome Whatsapp version.

Our Verdict

At Tech Point Magazine we take note of what our readers love and download. By the time we landed on TM Whatsapp, our options lied between buying a daily, weekly or monthly OTT package or hover to the free VPN services available.

However, we highly commend this Whatsapp version as it’s free and secure without any sort of blockages faced during installation. In the same manner, you can choose to download this exciting Whatsapp version off the Softekware website or right here using the download buttons available above & below.

How to Bypass social media tax in Uganda

Staff Editor — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 09:34:50 +0000

Social media tax is the new compulsory stressor in Uganda. While everyone is busy looking for particular VPNs that can shift you from nation to nation. There is a handful of tricks you can comply with and bypass the Government’s social media tax although its a big crime and you can be imprisoned for Tax Invasion.

Procedure 1: Download a VPN

Greeting from Russia, Greetings from China or even Greetings from Jamaica. The sounds of internet users steadily connected outside Uganda flow from every direction of blocked websites including Facebook and Twitter. If you wish to download a VPN and BYpass social media tax, make sure your phone has enough data or Modem that will support you through the connection. They are very many VPNs but here are some of those we recommend you to download and you can read our how to download & install a VPN tutorial like these below.

You can use a VPN to bypass social media tax or Pay 200/= for access

Windscribe: Quite new on the scene. However, it is free for as long as you do not use more than 10GB of data per month. When you tweet about their service, you get an extra 5GB and recommending a friend earns you an extra 1GB for that month.

TunnelBear: Is a partially free VPN that allows you to use up to 500MB free of data monthly. You are expected to pay as soon as your data usage crosses that mark. However, it is a very good VPN.

Speedify: Guarantees you a secure but fast encrypted convection. In the first month of usage, you get free 4GB data usage however, subsequent months gives you up to 1GB data for free monthly. Cross that limit and you are expected to pay.

ProtoVPN: Just like the rest, it has both a paid for and free version. Its free version does not give you limits on data like the previous three do. However, the limitations come in the speed which tends to degrade as more users come on board, especially paid users.

Procedure 2: Change your browser proxy settings

Proxy settings in each and every browser direct your information to go through a specific direction set. Yes, previously social bundles used proxy VPNs to be rediverted to even stronger zones converting them into actual data bundles.

Now, you can search and copy any proxy settings you wish to set in your browser and set them in the privacy settings option on either your phone or desktop browser. We recommend installing chrome proxy apps like Hola VPN from the chrome store.

social media apps are the most common OTT services being taxed by Government directly

Procedure 3: Quit social media after all

Quitting social media could be your one last resort but Leaving it for good could spare you some peace with the Government. Even though the maximum penalty for bypassing social media tax is 3years, your best chance could be preventing the fact that UCC may buckle up on a search for VPN users in Uganda.

Procedure 4: Pay the Tax

Social media tax may be hard to pay, but how about actually paying it to avoid the bypassing tricks fraudsters may trick you into sending them a penny. Given the rate at which bypass messages are scrolling on the internet, you can choose to pay the tax if everything fails as popular VPNs have been blocked and here a some of those that will help you bypass social media tax if you land on blocked ones.

Full list of OTT services you’ll pay tax for beginning 1st July 2018

Staff Editor — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 20:14:31 +0000

Social media tax is around the corner and everyone is set looking for solutions in all directions they can flow. The good news is you can bypass social media tax by simply redirecting your device to a different country or downloading that super strong VPN. Among the services you’ll have to pay for in order to access them fully, Facebook and Whatsapp lead the OTT services taxation line.

List of OTT services taxed in Uganda

WhatsApp· Telegram· Freevideo – Mail.Ru· Tumblr· Facebook· IM+· TextMe· Kik· Twitter· IMessenger· TalkU· Chatouts· Truecaller· Yahoo Messenger· LOVOO· Grindr· Google Hangouts· Facetime· Drupe· LiveTalk· Google Alla· Android Messages· Imo· Zalo· Viber· New Messenger· Hangouts Dialer· Kakao Talk· SnapChat· Textra· CallerID· Mood· LINE· Instagram· magicApp· Google Plus· Phone+· WiCall· Skype· LinkedIn· Call Free· WeChat· Badoo· BBM-Free· Signal· InMessage· Hitwe· Voxer Walkie Talkie· StealthChat· TrueCaller· SayHi· Hike· Tinder· Hi5· iPair-Meet· Moments· MeetMe

The above and many more are the officially taxed OTT services in Uganda that will require you to pay Shs 200 effective 1st July 2018.

Official: Social media taxes to take immediate effect on 1st July as Telecom companies join hands

Staff Editor — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 12:13:04 +0000

Social media taxes in Uganda are one of a kind and very unavoidable according to a statement by MTN in its FAQs. As Parliament previously approved the said social media taxes, Telecom companies have today backed the idea by releasing the official payment methods to be used when paying social media tax.

The public notice issued by telecom companies about social media taxes

OTT Services explained as Over the top services are platforms that allow you to interact remotely without using the official Telecom sim cards for example with VOIP (Voice over IP) or Video chatting and conferencing. The following methods are some of those you can use to pay OTT tax a.k.a Social media taxes quickly.

MTN Mobile money (*165*2*8#)
Airtel Money (*185*2*5#)
Africell Money (*144*2*5#)

Africell customers can also pay social media taxes using MTN mobile.oney and Airtel money at no extra charge as the statement appeared in a public notice. However, you can also use Africell EVC via *133*6# to pay the taxes as other Telecom companies also draft new payment methods which can be paid for the following periodic stated packages.

Daily (Ushs 200)
Weekly (Ushs 1,400)
Monthly (Ushs 6,000)

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“Social media taxes in Uganda are one of a kind and very unavoidable” according to a statement by MTN in its FAQs. As everyone will now opt to run to VPNs telecom companies have claimed that the new social media tax can’t be dodged but instead be paid in time as it will expire daily at 11.59PM.