In a November 2004 ruling, the FCC found DigitalVoice to be an Internet service and not a conventional phone service. But those differences may not hold true for other VoIP providers. The FCC also found that voice over the Internet could not be "cost effectively" separated into interstate and intrastate communications, which would make it possible for states to tax in-state calls. But if a cost-effective method arises, a tax may follow.
Federal courts in New York and California are still pondering a state tax on VoIP services over Internet. It's likely they'll follow the Minnesota decisions, but there is a lot of ground to cover. States may still tax Internet phone businesses, and the FCC has yet to decide whether Internet phone services are subject to fees by other carriers to complete calls, universal service fees to subsidize rural carriers and emergency 911 service fees.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
