In this Technology Reseller News and Cloud Communications Alliance preview of the upcoming CCA Financial Summit (October 7, 2025, Willard Hotel, Washington, D.C.), Doug Green speaks with Michael Quinn, Founding Partner at Q Advisors, and Jonathan Marashlian, Managing Partner at The CommLaw Group. The session they will lead—aptly titled Hotel California and the Regulatory Impact on Cloud Transactions—explores how certain state-level telecom regulations, especially in California, are causing costly delays and uncertainty in cloud and VoIP M&A activity.

Quinn explains the analogy: “You can check in, but you can never leave. That’s how it feels when a deal gets stuck in California’s opaque approval process.” He notes that even transactions with minimal in-state revenue can be held for months, slowing an industry that’s rapidly evolving with AI and new technologies.

Marashlian details the legal backdrop, pointing to the erosion of the Vonage preemption and the California Public Utilities Commission’s expanded reach into VoIP. “For 20 years, states generally took a hands-off approach to VoIP market entry and transactions. Now, with California leading the way, we’re seeing a spider web of regulatory requirements emerging,” he warns. The result: unpredictable timelines, heightened legal exposure, and the risk that other states will follow suit.

Both agree that while consumer protection is vital in traditional telecom, these rules are misapplied to business-focused VoIP and UCaaS providers, where customers are sophisticated and competition is abundant. They urge federal action—specifically FCC reaffirmation of Vonage preemption—to restore clarity, prevent regulatory overreach, and allow businesses to plan transactions with certainty.

More information on the speakers and their work is available at commlawgroup.com and qllc.com.

Learn more about the CCA Financial Summit and register at https://www.cloudcommunications.com/events/financial-summit-2025.