Lead Sponsor
Sponsors
“Jim Nason was exceptional. His knowledge and communications skills made for a knowledgeable and thorough subject presentation. Great job!”
– Bonnie Boggs, Sierra Telephone
“I attend this program every year. There are always knowledgeable people with great information.”
–Rasheda Murphy, Powernet Global Communications
“After attending last year’s conference, I came away with information from one of the sessions which prompted a refund totaling over $4.2M”
– John Figueirdo, Verizon Wireless
“… exceeded my expectations. It seems to be becoming more informative and relevant
to our job functions in this increasingly difficult time of doing more with less”
– John Dolan, Verizon
“Excellent content – well worth the time”
– John Boyles, Comcast
“Very valuable information. Great speakers. Excellent networking!”
– Amy Karpf, Cavalier Telephone
“The speakers are top-notch.”
--Bill Thiemann, Centennial Communications
“Very good, very focused discussion.”
--Jay Goodrich, Verizon Wireless
“So much to learn! The materials and speakers were very well organized.”
-- Amy Karpf, Talk America
“The most comprehensive telecom taxation conference available today.”
-- Joe Hartman, Radianz Americas
“A must attend conference for anyone in the telco tax world.”
-- Norene Hartug, Frontier Communications
“Excellent content yet again. Well worth the time.”
-- John Boyles, Comcast
“This is a must attend for anyone in the field of telecommunications taxation.”
-- Terri Westover, Frontier Communications
“This is the number one conference to identify best practices in the telecom tax world.”
-- Roy Drukker, Fairpoint
Communications Taxation 2025
May 13-15, 2025
DoubleTree by Hilton - Downtown Nashville, Tennessee
2025 agenda posted below. 28 of 29 conference sessions are confirmed.
Look for additional industry speakers to be added.
About Communications Taxation
For 26 years, Communications Taxation has brought together the nation's top tax professionals to address the challenging and complex domain of telecommunications taxation, regulatory compliance and fees.
Who attends: The program attracts between 300 and 400 tax professionals from all sectors of the communications and technology industry -- including wireline, mobile, cable, Internet, VoIP, enterprise services as well as cloud, social media and content providers. See the list of last year's attending companies below.
Why you should attend: Whether you are new to communications taxes and regulatory compliance, or an industry veteran, the experts at Communications Taxation will show you how to lower your tax bill, improve compliance, streamline tax operations, pro actively prepare for audits, better defend your company's audit position, leverage case studies/precedent to lower liabilities, manage digital/cloud/content offerings, prepare for "what's next" and -- most importantly -- network with your industry peers to learn and share experiences.
Questions about the Program? Interested in exhibiting / sponsoring? Have feedback from prior years? Please feel free to contact me!
Sincerely,
Dr. Matthew Lucas, Program Chair
[email protected]
Communications Taxation 2025 Program Schedule
(Tentative - to be confirmed shortly)
| Tuesday - May 13, 2025 (Pre-Conference Tutorial and Workshops) | ||
| 8:30AM - 12:30 PM | Pre-conference Tutorial: Understanding Telecom Taxation Presented by Deloitte |
|
| 1PM - 4:30 PM | Pre-conference Workshops: |
|
| 6:00 - 8:00 PM | Conference Reception Party | |
| Wednesday - May 14, 2025 (Conference Day 1) | ||
| 7:30 AM | Registration and Exhibits Open, Breakfast | |
| 8:15AM - 12 noon | Conference Keynotes and Morning Panels | |
| 12 noon | Sponsored Lunch | |
| 1:15 - 4:45 | Conference Sessions (panels, breakouts) | |
| 4:45PM | Cocktail Reception | |
| Thursday - May 15, 2025 (Conference Day 2) | ||
| 7:15 AM | Registration and Exhibits Open, Breakfast | |
| 8:00AM - 12 PM | Conference Sessions (panels, breakouts) | |
| 12 noon (sharp) | Conference Concludes - safe travels home | |
Communications Taxation 2025
Pre-conference Tutorial and Workshops
Tuesday May 13, 2025
"Understanding ComTax" Tutorial - Led by Deloitte
8:30AM - 12:30PM - Tuesday May 13
"Understanding Communications Taxation" Pre-Conference Tutorial -- Led by Deloitte
This is an absolute must for people new to the communications industry, emerging services space, the surrounding converging sectors or even those feel they might want a refresher of Communications Tax 101+
Click here for a detailed agenda and description
USF Workshop - Led by Top Regulatory Attorneys
1:00PM - 4:30PM - Tuesday May 13
"Understanding USF"
This workshop is for both experienced telecommunications tax personnel involved with USF regulatory compliance activities, as well as new entrants that offer telecom services as part of their overall service package and are new to regulatory compliance requirements
Click here for a detailed agenda and description
Generative AI Workshop
1:00PM - 4:30PM - Tuesday May 13
"Put GenAI to Use – Practice Building AI Agents Applicable to Everyday Tax Functions"
Join KPMG for an innovative GenAI training session where you will gain hands-on experience with GenAI as KPMG will open its GenAI for Tax environment as a training ground for this conference. This interactive course is designed to empower tax professionals with cutting-edge skills in prompt engineering, the power of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and the development of agentic frameworks.
Click here for a detailed agenda and description
"Hands-On" Analytics Workshop - Led by E&Y
1:00PM - 4:30PM - Tuesday May 13
"Using Power BI and Power Query to Manage Data"
Do you want to become proficient at developing and presenting Analytics for use in your tax department? In this workshop our presenters will coach you through example exercises on your computer and show you how to generate world class analytics.
Click here for a detailed agenda and description - AND the datasets/software information for those who want to bring their own computers.
Conference Welcome Reception
Tuesday May 13 - 6PM, Details to be Announced
Communications Taxation 2025
Conference Sessions
Wednesday - Thursday May 14-15, 2025
(Speaker Updates and Additional Sessions pending)
Welcome to Communications Taxation 2025 & Opening Remarks
Building Telecom's Future Around AI: What does that mean for mobile, fixed, compute, devices, content and services?
Dr. Matthew Lucas -- TeleStrategies, Conference Chair
Keynote Address
The AI-Powered Future: How Work is Evolving Before Our Eyes
The way we work is changing faster than ever. Just two years ago, we speculated on how ChatGPT and AI, might impact our daily tasks. Today, it’s no longer speculation - AI is here, reshaping industries, workflows, and decision-making in ways we couldn’t have imagined. This keynote will explore how AI is not just automating tasks but fundamentally transforming how we collaborate, innovate, and solve problems. We’ll discuss what’s changed, what’s coming next, and how tax/regulatory compliance professionals can adapt to stay ahead in this AI-powered future. Whether you’re excited or uncertain about what’s next, this session will offer a compelling look at the opportunities AI presents and how it shapes the future of taxation and tax departments.
Presented by PwC and industry guests
2025 Conference Sessions
(session times to be posted shortly)
Automating Compliance: Navigating E911 and Per Line Charges
The telecom compliance landscape is evolving with technological advancements and complex regulatory demands. This panel will focus on how automation transforms compliance management, specifically discussing:
- Defining Lines and Trunks: How do new technologies redefine "lines" and "trunks" in telecom?
- Legal Landscape: What are the implications of recent litigation on per line/per month charges?
- Automation Advantage: How does Avalara automate and simplify compliance to reduce errors and clarify obligations?
- Future of Fees: What are viable alternatives for funding public programs through telecom fees?
Join our expert panelists to uncover the strategic role of automation in overcoming the complexities of telecom tax compliance.
Brian Spencer – Senior Tax Manager, 8x8
Toby Bargar – Senior Tax Strategist, Avalara
Mitch Bailey – Partner, Moss Adams
Arti Deliaj – Partner, PWC
Steve Lacoff – General Manager Communications, Avalara (Moderator)
SALT Communications Industry Tax Considerations in 2025
What questions are communications industry tax professionals spending most of their time reviewing today? Is the biggest issue determining whether services are taxable? New and evolving services, with little or no guidance from state or local taxing jurisdictions specifically applicable to those services, can create challenges. Does the taxability analysis include reviews of or reliance on federal legislation like the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA) or Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act (MTSA)? The internet access definition and non-discrimination of electronic commerce provisions of the ITFA, and the sourcing and hold harmless rules of the MTSA are often considered as service taxability is reviewed. How about tracking new or proposed taxes that would impact the company or the company’s customers? Planning whether a company can implement a proposed or enacted tax or what the financial impact of that tax might be on the company or consumer may need to begin before the legislation imposing the tax is actually passed or soon after. We will discuss these topics and other state and local tax questions industry tax professionals are currently focused on.
Audra Mitchell – Managing Director, KPMG
John Vann – Senior Manager, KPMG
Building a Compliant Billing System: Key Steps for Changing Your Billing System
Implementing or transitioning to a new billing system in the communications industry requires more than just data migration—it demands a strategic approach to compliance. This session will cover the essential steps for setting up a billing system that ensures accurate tax calculation, proper regulatory filings, and seamless integrations with compliance tools. Attendees will learn about the critical components of a compliant billing system, how to avoid common pitfalls, and best practices for maintaining accuracy as tax and regulatory requirements evolve.
Robert Dumas – TaxConnex, Founder and CEO
Brent Reeves – Ceretax , Co-Founder and CCO
Usman Zahoor – Rev.io , VP of Channel and Community
Jonathan Marashalian – The COMMLaw Group, Founder
What to Expect from the FCC Under a Trump Presidency -- and how it Affects Your Bottom Line & Customers
This session addresses the 35,000 foot and ground view of FCC initiatives; current progress of those initiatives as of May 2025; and provides forward-looking predictions of what will happen under a Trump Presidency -- including what FCC programs will likely survive with the new Administration, and which ones won't. There will also be a historical view of how current initiatives are results of longstanding FCC public policy. FCC Universal Service will be just one of the items discussed as there are many FCC initiatives that impact the industry and its customers.
Phil Macres Esq. – Principle, Klein Law Group
Mark Lammert CPA – CEO, Compliance Solutions Inc.
State Tax Litigation Update
This session will provide an update on key litigation and controversies involving the taxation of telecommunications services, including the application of telecommunications taxes to hardware and software, court interpretations of the limitations of the Internet Tax Freedom Act and the unbundling of taxable and nontaxable products and services.
Eric Tresh – Eversheds Sutherland
Liz Cha – Eversheds Sutherland
A Day in the Life of a Tax Project: Behind the Scenes of Tax & Billing Transformations
Tax and billing projects are more than just numbers and regulations—they involve strategic planning, funding battles, technical challenges, and constant trade-offs to meet deadlines. From securing buy-in to making last-minute concessions, tax professionals must juggle compliance, technology, and business demands to ensure success. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to execute a tax/billing project, from inception to implementation.
Liz Bopp – Managing Director, PwC
Romin Patel – Senior Manager, PwC
Industry Speakers
Leveraging New Technologies Across Your Sales and Use Tax Role
The days of the mechanical pencil have long-since passed, and technological advancements in sales and use tax planning and compliance are occurring at a rapid pace. Most recently, advancements in AI have helped to redefined the role of the sales and use tax function. During this session, we will discuss how businesses are working to integrate new technology to increase efficiency while minimizing disruptions, and share some of the best practices we are seeing in the market.
Rudy Blahnik – Managing Director, EY
Natalie Haynes – Partner, EY
Single Price Bundled Offerings and Revenue Allocation Issues for Regulatory and Transaction Tax Purposes
Your marketing department wants to bundle multiple service and possibly product offerings into a single price on the customer’s invoice. How should the value of the components be established for purposes of regulatory and sales/telecom tax application and reporting? What type of support does your company need to establish in order to support these pricing and tax determinations? This session will focus on FCC unbundling rules and state sales/telecom tax unbundling rules (e.g., SSTP, MTSA & ITFA) and how to use revenue allocation studies performed by valuation engineers to support your filing positions.
Rick Heller – Managing Director - Deloitte Tax Indirect Tax Consulting Leader and Multistate Tax Telecom Industry Leader
Bryson Peters – Senior Manager - Deloitte Transactions & Business Analytics
“I’m Selling a New Product … What do I do Next?”
With the ever evolving product mix and blurred lines between traditional telecom, software, and technology offerings, accurately defining what you are selling is critical. Many times, the tax function is the last to know about a new product or service and left scrambling to define it and develop a strategy for transaction taxes. Not to mention the systems changes needed to accurately report and tax such items. This panel will dive into best practices for ensuring your tax team is at the forefront and involved in new and acquired product offerings. Understanding audit risk of any decision is critical, and we will discuss real-world examples of good and bad decisions.
Dustin Davis – Principal, Ryan
Tod Matthiessen – Ryan
Lifting the Veil of Cost Recovery: Pitfalls and Opportunities
Cost recovery can be a slippery slope, as recent industry events have demonstrated. This panel will discuss the secrets to properly charge cost recovery in a way that will increase your revenues without creating undue risk. Specific topics covered include:
- Best practices in using nomenclature
- USAC guidance
- Revenue recognition
- Types of cost recovery and determining cost recovery
- Related pricing
- Key class action considerations
Jeffery Forrester – EisnerAmper
Joe Solana – Wolters Kluwer’s CCH SureTax
Matt LaHood – Wolters Kluwer’s CCH SureTax
Getting Your Bills Right: Real World Help with Invoice Presentation of Telecom Tax and Fee Line Items
This panel of seasoned practitioners will help you navigate the challenges of presenting telecom tax and fee line items on your bills so that you can avoid pitfalls, limit opportunities for customer confusion, and mitigate risk. The panel will focus on bill presentation requirements, truth-in-billing, bundled service charges, customer privacy, recovery items and Universal Service Fund pass-through. They will also explain how to best navigate the many differences between regulatory fees and telecom taxes - among the wide variety of jurisdictions that impose them - and address how changes at the Federal Communications Commission may impact these issues.
Toby Bargar – Senior Tax Strategist, Avalara
Kathy Saxton – Multistate Tax Service, Deloitte Tax LLP
Kristine Devine - HWG Law Firm
The Future of FCC USF
Not since the 1996 Telecom Act, will there be as much impact on the industry as what will happen when the US Supreme Court rules in June 2025. There could be 15-20 possibilities as to the future of FCC USF and how the program will be administered. This session will address 4-5 paths forward based on items such as the FCC USF being a Tax, not an executive branch Surcharge, who will administer the program, will there be a role for USAC in the future as it relates to FCC USF, will there be projected revenue, circulatory factors or will the preparation, filing and payments be just like sales tax returns in the States, what is the impact on exemption documents, will DOGE get involved in the process as directed by the House of Representatives who own the power to tax … or will everything stay the same with no changes made. Will the tax rates be set by Congress going forward. This session will also discuss the Amicus Briefs, Oral Arguments at the US Supreme Court on March 26, 2025, the 5th District Courts Ruling in July 2024 and several other matters.
Phil Macres Esq. – Principle, Klein Law Group
Mark Lammert CPA – CEO, Compliance Solutions Inc.
SALT Controversies – Audit Assessments & Refund Denials
This panel will discuss positions state and local taxing jurisdictions are taking as a basis for denying tax refund claims and issuing tax assessments against Communications Industry companies. Understanding the instances where jurisdictions are attempting to limit the available time within which to file refund claims, narrow exemptions and expand the tax base will help prepare you to defend your company’s taxing methodology and reduce your company’s risk of tax exposure.
Jeremy Blocher – Partner, KPMG
Steven Braun – Manager, KPMG
Data, Technology & AI in Telecom Compliance
This session delves into the intricate landscape of state and local indirect tax compliance, focusing on the challenges faced by traditional telecommunications, cloud communications, and technology companies. With a spotlight on compliance data lifecycle, we explore the complexities of managing and interpreting data sourced from billing systems, tax engine systems and other financial data systems to ensure accurate reporting and adherence to compliance frameworks. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI, we navigate the evolving indirect tax and regulatory landscape, offering insights and strategies to optimize compliance processes and mitigate risks in an increasingly dynamic industry where the tax departments are asked to do way more with way less resources.
Frank Giovannone – Senior Manager, PWC
Nausher Hoodbhoy – Partner, PwC
Industry Speakers
Revolutionizing Tax Compliance and Reporting -- How Technology is Shaping the Future of Taxation
The landscape of tax departments is rapidly changing. More and more companies are shifting to tax technology in order to streamline their departments as well as cut there processing times. This session will discuss how tax technology is evolving and how it is the future of all tax groups.
Kiran Seshagiri – SAP Practice Leader, Vertex Inc.
Frank Giovannone – Senior Manager, PWC
Taxation of Digital Goods and Software – Ramifications on SaaS/Cloud Businesses
The evolving tax landscape treats digital goods and software as tangible products in some jurisdictions and as rentals in other jurisdictions, complicating tax compliance for SaaS and cloud businesses. Classifying digital goods as rentals can create unexpected tax liabilities, particularly in states with unique rules for recurring revenue models, and for taxpayers with direct pay permits. Businesses must navigate varying definitions and taxability rules, impacting pricing, invoicing, and tax remittance. Understanding these complexities is crucial for mitigating risk and ensuring proper tax compliance across jurisdictions.
Moshe Weingarten – VP of Product Strategy,CereTax
Eric Schaefer – Sales Engineer, Technical Lead Telecom & Energy, CereTax
Old and New Frontiers: Gross Receipts Taxes, New Taxes/Fees and Legislative Trends
Gross receipts taxes are making a dangerous come-back at the state level. Additionally, states and local governments are considering/enacting new taxes and fees applicable to the communications industry (think 988 fees, Colorado delivery fees, digital ad/data taxes, etc.). This session will include a discussion of the complexities associated with the proper application of those taxes and highlight related issues and controversies
Maria Todorova – Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
Chelsea Marmor – Counsel, Eversheds Sutherland
Creating Value-Added Opportunities Thru Your Sales/Use Tax Compliance Function
Working to get ahead of the monthly compliance rush? This session focuses on leading practices in assessing automation tools, data sources, analytics, and lessons learned from audits and refund recoveries to enhance your current reporting processes. Leaving this session, participants will be empowered with information, prepared to ask even better questions about their business process, and equipped to unlock value for their organizations.
Jeff Thompson - EY Managing Director
Rachel Quintana - EY Partner
Maximizing Efficiency: Getting the Most Mileage Out of Your Tax Engine
In today's complex tax environment, your tax engine is crucial for ensuring compliance and efficiency. During this session, we will explore how to get the most mileage out of your tax engine and unlock hidden potential using various strategies and best practices. We will cover key features and functionalities that can be leveraged in unexpected ways to help you validate tax policies, cleanse master data, and automate manual analysis and tax calculations. We will also delve into real-world use cases and tangible results achieved by leveraging these strategies, such as validating and cleansing thousands of addresses, executing large-scale use tax accruals, and building taxability matrices to view current tax policy across sales and purchasing categories and geographies. Whether you are in the process of implementing a new tax engine or looking to optimize your existing one, this hands-on session will provide valuable insights and practical tips to help you streamline your tax operations and achieve greater efficiency.
Steve Frazee – Managing Director, KPMG
Invited industry guests
Use It or Lose It: Mastering Use Tax Accruals for Business Savings
Are you leaving money on the table—or worse, setting yourself up for a costly audit? Many businesses either overpay or underpay use tax, leading to unnecessary financial losses or compliance risks. This session will equip you with actionable insights to turn use tax compliance into a cost-saving advantage. Don't miss out—sign up now and take control of your use tax accruals!
Justin Harrison – Senior Manager, PwC
Nick Carey – Senior Manager, PwC
Ghislaine Tchinda – Manager, PwC
Industry Speakers
Containerization – Not Your Grandma’s Cookie Jar
This panel will address the benefits of moving from a traditional legacy framework system to a more flexible environment. Vertex envisions a lead in of what a container IT model is and then a practical discussion of a company already moving to this environment. Containerization allows for the quick ramp up of resources for large batch processing times and then reduced resources for low volume times. This allows for reduced IT costs benefitting companies as a whole! This session will cover the dynamics of containerization and also the real-world examples in use today.
Larry Mellon – Senior Director, Chief Tax Office, Vertex (Moderator)
Michael Bernard – Voce President, Chief Tax Office, Vertex
Tiffany DeBerry – Senior Manager, Tax Technology, T-Mobile
Nate Stohrer – Lead Consultant, Professional Services, Vertex
Kiran Seshagiri – Senior Practice Leader, Professional Services, Vertex
Attributional Nexus and Telecom – Navigating Nexus Rules
Telecom businesses face unique challenges with attributional nexus, where nexus is often established based on the customer's service address rather than the seller’s physical presence. This differs from South Dakota v. Wayfair, which focuses on economic thresholds for nexus. Telecom providers must also account for carrier types which impact imposition requirements and pass-through types. Navigating these complexities is essential to ensure accurate tax collection and compliance across varying state and local tax laws.
Samantha Maqueo – Director of Customer Success, CereTax
Other speakers to be announced
Unlock the Secret to Confident Communications Tax Compliance
This open and insightful panel discussion delves into the three pillars for achieving accuracy, efficiency, timeliness, and compliance in communications tax ... with a twist: it isn’t all about finding the best technology. Specific topics covered include: the importance of process; why the technology pillar alone cannot drive compliance; how to align people and common values; and how bringing together the right people can make the complexities simple.
Chad Clegg – Gabb Wireless
Logan Leaming – Gabb Wireless
Katherine “Kitty” Whitt – JSI
Shauna Brewer – Wolters Kluwer’s CCH SureTax
The Future Of USF: Is It Unconstitutional? And If So, What’s Going to Happen?
The administrative law is radically changing, and the FCC’s Universal Service Fund (USF) programs are not immune. Please join what we hope will be a lively, interactive discussion of the future of the USF and its dependent programs (like E-rate and RDOF) in light of the pending case before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of USF funding. Other Supreme Court cases, such as the recent case finding E-rate funding to be claims vulnerable to False Claims Act liability and the death of Chevron deference, could mean sweeping changes or even the end of the USF, at least as we know it.
Danielle Frappier – Member at Mintz Levin
Whipping Up Efficiency & Profitability: A Foolproof Recipe for Streamlining & Scaling
This session looks at the essential ingredients for eliminating inefficiencies, improving compliance, and enhancing revenue management with a step-by-step recipe for optimizing your operations. Specific focus areas include:
- Seamless quoting, contract management and real-time financial insights and tax automation.
- Mix efficiency with profitability – streamline workflows and boost profitability with optimized quoting, plus order and contract management.
- Addind automation for a smoother experience – Enhance service delivery and reduce audit risks for real-time insights.
- Seamless integrations – Simplify compliance and improve operations by connecting tax and telecom systems.
- Blending tax compliance into financial operations – Pump up efficiencies by integrating tax automation with revenue management.
Usman Zahoor – Rev.io
Ryan Koontz – Rev.io
Ben Isbell – Wolters Kluwer’s CCH SureTax
Mergers, Megabits & Mayhem: Untangling Telecom Taxes in M&A Deals
As AI fuels an insatiable demand for data centers, cloud infrastructure, and connectivity, telecom M&A activity is ramping up—blurring the lines between telecom and tech faster than a fiber optic signal. In this session, we’ll cut through the tax complexity that comes with these deals, from stock vs. asset purchases to successor liability and post-deal integration pitfalls. Expect a practical, no-fluff discussion on tax due diligence—covering key exposure areas, smart data requests, and what really matters in a due diligence report. Whether you’re on the buy side or sell side, we’ll help you stay ahead of the tax headaches hiding in the fine print.
Arti Deliaj – Partner, PwC
Nicholas Carey – Manager, PwC
Industry Speakers
Communications Taxation 2025 Concludes Promptly at 12 Noon
Questions, comments, suggestions? Please email Matthew Lucas ([email protected])