EP045 - Taxation in Connectivity - Tony Susak, GM of Telecom, Avalara

Industrial IoT Spotlight

In this episode, we discuss taxation issues related to connectivity.

Who is liable for telecom taxes? How much is the tax liability? How do you prepare for the inevitable complications that come with this taxation?

Tony Susak explains what makes a tech company a telecommunications company in the eyes of tax authorities, and the importance of this distinction. He also offers advice on how to prepare your billing systems to hedge the risks of future taxation.

Tony Susak is the General Manager, Telecom, of Avalara. Prior to joining Avalara, he served as the Director of Tax for AT&T, where his team had responsibility for calculating, filing and remitting millions of dollars annually across every jurisdiction in the U.S. and many jurisdictions abroad. Prior to AT&T, Susak held similar positions with Cricket Communications, Cingular Wireless, Virgin Mobile, and General Motors' OnStar division. In these roles, he also helped develop policy and influence legislation involving vehicle telematics and communication taxes.

Avalara helps businesses of all sizes achieve compliance with transactional taxes, including sales and use, VAT, excise, communications, and other tax types. The company delivers comprehensive, automated, cloud-based solutions that are designed to be fast, accurate, and easy to use.