Telecom Accounting & Business Seminars

Intermediate Telecom Accounting

October 6-7, 2008

Excalibur Hotel
 Las Vegas, NV

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$795 2-day course

CPE Credits: 12

Who Should Attend?

This class is a follow up to Telecom 101 and is intended to focus on a few of the more timely and complex areas of telecom accounting. Attendees should have 2+ years of experience in telecommunications and understand the fundamentals of the industry.

What You'll Learn

Annual industry accounting update

Rural telephone companies are affected by FCC, RUS, FASB, and GAO rules. The course will discuss rulings and changes in generally accepted accounting principles that directly impact telecommunications carriers.

Intercarrier compensation reform, cost study and USF overview

  • Overview of accounting and management analysis related to cost studies
  • Status on intercarrier compensation reform: contrasting the current system with the proposed (or adopted) plans
  • Analyzing your cost study and explaining year-to-year settlement variances
  • Understanding the USF calculation
  • Year-end accruals and recording over-earnings
    Note: Cost Studies: Overview and Strategies course covers USF and how to use the cost study; Telecom 101 covers the basic concepts and the revenue accounting cycle.

Affiliate transactions and non-regulated cost allocations

  • Developing and implementing practical cost allocation procedures
  • Allocating direct and indirect expenses
  • Identifying and allocating joint-use plant: internet, wireless, switching, video, etc.
  • Affiliate transaction pricing rules: tariffed and non-tariffed services
  • “Off book” allocations related to the preparation of cost studies
  • The USAC and NECA perspective: status of audit findings

The industry is under increased scrutiny with regard to Part 64, the allocation of costs between regulated and non-regulated activities. This is a complicated area of accounting that leaves many rural phone companies exposed to criticism from competitors, regulators, and other groups concerned with the public interests related to universal service support and cross subsidization issues. USAC has publicly stated it will dramatically increase audits of rural telephone companies to determine universal service recipients are not abusing the system.

Internal controls

  • How to document and test internal controls
  • Customizing controls for each major accounting cycle (billing, disbursements, etc.)
  • A discussion of the specific areas of vulnerability based on rural telephone company experiences
  • The role and responsibilities of senior management and the board of directors
  • Corporate ethics, whistleblower and other policies

Telephone companies have unique internal control issues, an area of concern in the aftermath of Enron and Sarbanes-Oxley. Additionally, small companies have found themselves increasingly the victim of employee theft.

Management reporting and data analysis

The month-to-month internal reporting of accounting information is a critical management function. The course will suggest data to be tracked, in addition to the basic internal monthly financial statements. Included will be ideas for account reconciliations, variance analysis, and how to make the annual audit less disruptive and take less time.

Income tax overview

The basics of commercial and cooperative income taxes will be discussed.

  • Income tax accounting and deferred taxes
  • Important settlement issues related to income tax accounting
  • Overview of recent law changes, including the 2004 tax act and pending legislation
  • Tax saving ideas specific to the rural telephone industry

Group discussion of common accounting problems

Bring your questions and we will answer them.

Instructors

Chad Duval

Moss Adams LLP

Rick Betts

Moss Adams LLP

Sue Tran

Moss Adams LLP

Let us bring this course to your location.

Telecom Seminar Contacts

Registration Information

Karen Arndt

509-777-0153

Course Content Information

Rick Betts

509-777-0187

Send us an e-mail

Events

See complete listing

Courses in the Telecom Accounting series:


Course Combo Opportunities: Make the most of your training dollar and trip to Las Vegas by also registering for Budgeting, Benchmarking & Forecasting or Cost Studies: Overview & Strategies