A Message from the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau to the VRS Community

You may have seen claims that the video relay service (VRS) program is threatened. This is not true. The FCC is committed to ensuring the provision of high quality VRS to all individuals who need this service. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires telecommunications access that is functionally equivalent to voice telephone services for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities. The FCC continues to believe that VRS is the most functionally equivalent form of relay for people who communicate using American Sign Language (ASL). We stand ready to meet our obligation to preserve and protect the VRS program so that ASL users and hearing people can communicate with each other over distances. This was the goal of Congress in passing the ADA and it continues to be our goal.

Here are the facts: On April 30th, the FCC released a Public Notice (DA-10-761A1.doc) asking the general public for feedback on what VRS providers should be paid to handle VRS calls for the next year. The Public Notice seeks comment on reimbursing providers based on the actual costs that VRS providers themselves claim to have incurred over the past few years to provide VRS. The only way to safeguard the VRS program is to adopt reasonable rates for all forms of relay services. Thus, it is our goal to adopt rates that are rationally based on the reasonable costs of actually providing VRS. We welcome all comments on our Public Notice, and will take all feedback into account to determine the next VRS rates. The VRS program will continue to provide the excellent communication service that you need.

Joel Gurin, Bureau Chief
Karen Peltz Strauss, Deputy Bureau Chief
Posted May 11, 2010

FCC Acts to Educate and Alert to Enforcement of Rules

One of First Advisories Focuses on Hearing Aid Compatibility of Digital Wireless Services</strong>.  The Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau recently stated its commitment to strong, vigorous and fair enforcement of the Commission’s rules. Enforcement Advisories are now being released, designed to educate businesses about and alert consumers to what's required by FCC rules, the purpose of those rules and why they're important to consumers, as well as the consequences of failures to comply.

Here is an excerpt from one of the first Enforcement Advisories is on Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) and digital wireless services:

Wireless Service Providers and Handset Manufacturers Advised to Review Compliance. The Enforcement Bureau has taken action against several companies for their failure to provide information that helps individuals with hearing disabilities fully utilize wireless phone services, allowing them to communicate effectively on their wireless phones without excessive feedback and noise. FCC rules require most digital wireless handset manufacturers and wireless service providers to make available a minimum number of hearing aid compatible handsets.[1] In order to ensure that consumers have access to up-to-date information on the availability of those handsets, and to ensure that the Commission can monitor compliance, FCC rules also require these manufacturers and service providers to make periodic status reports and to post specific information on their public web sites. The Enforcement Bureau this week proposed forfeitures totaling $87,000 against seven companies, and issued Citations to two additional companies, for violating the reporting and posting requirements. The reports and web content provide valuable information to the public concerning the technical testing and commercial availability of hearing aid-compatible handsets, both for consumers, particularly those with hearing disabilities, and for service providers seeking information regarding the hearing aid compatibility of manufacturers' products. The rules at issue in this week's actions require the following: § Manufacturers were required to submit reports detailing their efforts toward compliance with the hearing aid compatibility requirements on January 15, 2009, on July 15, 2009, and must continue to file them on an annual basis on July 15 thereafter.

To read the full Advisory: http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Enforcement_Advisories/Welcome.html.
Posted May 25, 2010

How To File A Complaint

If you need to file a complaint regarding any relay service, use this link to the website of the Federal Communications Commission:
https://esupport.fcc.gov/sform2000/formC!input.action?form_page=2000C