Lebanon plans to charge a fee for internet voice calls [telecom]

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FaceTime and WhatsApp could cost you.

By Jon Fingas

If you're planning a trip to Beirut, you might want to think carefully about starting an internet phone call. Lebanon's cabinet has agreed to implement a 20-cent daily fee for VoIP calls across a range of services, including FaceTime Audio and WhatsApp. The government believes it needs the cash -- it recently declared an "economic emergency" as it raced to secure funding and eliminate debts, and the internet calling fee is estimated to rake in a substantial $200 million per year.