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NEWS | |||||||
Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 |
News media information 202 / 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 202/418-2555 |
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974). |
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COMMON CARRIER ACTION
FCC REVISES TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE RULES |
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Washington, D.C. -- The FCC today amended its rules governing the delivery of Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) to expand the kind of relay services available to consumers with hearing and speech disabilities and to improve the quality of relay services. TRS is a telephone transmission service, originally required in the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and implemented nationwide in 1993. It enables persons with hearing and speech disabilities to communicate by telephone with persons who may or may not have such disabilities. As a result, many Americans who had limited or no practical access to telephone services can use the telephone via relay service. TRS now utilizes a variety of services to facilitate telephone communication by persons with hearing or speech disabilities. Relay services between TTY and voice users utilize a relay operator, called a Communications Assistant, to read what the TTY user types to a voice telephone user, and to type responses back to the TTY user throughout the duration of a telephone call. In a Report and Order issued today the FCC adopted additional rules to increase the availability and usefulness of the telecommunications system for Americans with hearing and speech disabilities. Specifically, the FCC:
-encouraged the provision of video relay interpreting service by making it eligible for reimbursement from the TRS fund. Video relay interpreting utilizes Communications Assistants skilled in sign language to relay conversations for users of American Sign Language. In the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking the FCC asked for comment on how to further improve TRS. Specifically, the Notice asked what changes are necessary to increase public awareness of TRS among all callers, not just those with disabilities, including how a national awareness education campaign can be established; and whether other technologies, services, and features should be made available to TRS users. Telecommunications relay service is critical given the importance that telecommunication plays in a person’s ability to participate in this information age. It provides telephone access to a significant number of Americans who without it may not be able to make or receive calls from others. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 10.9 million Americans have a functional limitation in hearing what is said in a normal conversation and 2.5 million have a functional limitation in having one's speech understood. TRS provides an important service to people with hearing and speech disabilities in the area of job employment by enabling a person with a hearing or speech disability to place a phone call to a prospective employer, to answer an advertisement for a job, to access training, and to advance one's career through formal and informal networks. Improving the quality of TRS will enhance employment opportunities for people with hearing and speech disabilities and may contribute to a decrease in their unemployment rate. According to recent statistics on employment of persons with disabilities while 82.1 percent of the general working age population (ages 21-64) is employed, only 52.3 percent of all people with disabilities are employed. This figure includes persons who have difficulty performing functional activities such as hearing and having one's speech understood. Among those with severe disabilities, only 26.1 percent are employed.
Action by the Commission February 17, 2000, by Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 00-56). Chairman Kennard, Commissioners Ness, Furchtgott-Roth, Powell, and Tristani, with Commissioners Ness and Tristani issuing separate statements.
Common Carrier Bureau contacts: Debra Sabourin 202-418-0976, TTY 202-418-0484, dsabouri@fcc.gov or Ellen Blackler 202-418-0491
Office of Disability Rights Office contacts: Pam Gregory 202-418-2498, TTY 202-418-1169 pgregory@fcc.gov or Meryl Icove 202-418-2372, TTY 202-418-7172, micove@fcc.gov
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