Tax Management (Keeping Track of the Taxes)

Telecom requires service providers to understand and apply some of the most complex taxation, financial loss and fines. Whether engaged in traditional wireline, wireless or next-generation services, service providers need to understand and continuously add any and all changes in the tax and regulatory environment to their operations and billing system.

Info Directions offers service providers a comprehensive tax engine that tracks and updates telecommunications-related tax law and rate changes on a local, regional, state and federal basis. Monthly updates to the tax database help service providers incorporate tax changes as soon as they are available to remain in compliance.

Unlike other operations and billing systems, CostGuard solution includes its tax module as an integrated part of the system - without the need for a third-party tax database interface or associated fees. With comprehensive reporting capabilities, service providers can assemble the information needed to address tax and surcharge compliance issues.

For next-generation IP-based services, CostGuard solution has the flexibility to incorporate new tax requirements quickly and easily. While the taxability of VoIP and IP-related services remains in a state of uncertainty, many states are already considering their tax approach for this unique category of telephony services. With so much uncertainty in the market, any service provider with long-term telecom aspirations needs to have the ability to bill for any and all tax requirements.

With CostGuard, service providers are able to respond to changes in regulatory and taxation requirements, ensuring uninterrupted service to end users and full compliance to local, state and federal rules. That's peace of mind for an uncertain industry.

The proprietary tax engine for the CostGuard line of operations and billing products includes:

• Initial tax database set up
• Monthly updates to the tax database
• Research services for unique tax questions
• Manual override for customer tax jurisdiction
• Complete tax maintenance through an easy-to-use graphical user interface
• Ability to export Tax Log Report data to third-party compliance vendors
• Flexibility to bundle and un-bundle taxes for invoice presentment
• Comprehensive support for tax tiers, tax limits by number of lines or total dollar amount, service-level taxation, unincorporated area tax, private Line taxation, service-level taxation, one-price packages, tax on surcharges, product- or customer-based tax exemptions, federal mobile sourcing rules.