TDI Applauds FCC Rulemaking on VRS Reform & Launch of National DB Equipment Distribution Program

April 8, 2011 ________________________________________ ________________________________________ TDI Applauds FCC's Latest Rulemaking Designed to Bolster Video Relay Service Operations In Other Action, Commission Establishes National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program Silver Spring, Maryland - Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI) was pleased to hear that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken further steps to eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse in the video relay service industry. In other action, the FCC has brought our deaf-blind constituency closer to having access to telecommunications by establishing the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), one of the major provisions of the Communications and Video Access Act (CVAA). As part of the FCC's ongoing efforts to ensure the stability of video relay service (VRS) for people who use sign language, new reforms have been instituted to eliminate illegitimate payments from the TRS Fund to providers, ensure that only qualified VRS providers are able to receive reimbursement and provide the FCC with better oversight of the VRS operations. In addition to annual audits, record-keeping requirements and new procedures for resolving payment disputes, some of the new rules now bar video interpreters from working out of their homes, prohibit calls from IP addresses outside the United States unless the caller has registered with their default provider in advance with dates and location of travel, block reimbursements for calls to remote training that are hosted by the provider, ban the use of privacy screens by the interpreter or by the caller for more than five minutes except for emergency calls or if one party is on hold, and provide whistle-blower protection for current and former employees or contractors of TRS providers. The FCC is seeking public comments on further reforms, which can be found at www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0406/DOC-305586A1.pdf Also, the Commission established a national deaf-blind telecommunication equipment distribution program to enable low-income individuals who are deaf-blind to access today's communication services. The CVAA has allocated $10 million each year from the Interstate TRS Fund for the NDBEDP, which will begin with a two-year pilot program. For the two-year pilot program, the FCC has budgeted $500,000 each year for national outreach and each state will receive funds in proportion of their deaf-blind population. In each state there will be one certified entity to distribute specialized and off-the-shelf equipment to meet the needs of deaf-blind individuals and do local outreach campaigns. "These actions by the FCC have not only stabilized the future of video relay, but also brought one of our most important constituency groups, the deaf-blind closer to accessing the world of communications that the rest of us enjoy each day," said Claude Stout, Executive Director of TDI. Stout further adds, "We thank the Commission's dedication to ensuring the long-term viability of relay services for everyone. Also, TDI welcomes the spirit of innovation and collaboration between government, industry and other stakeholders as we rise up to the challenge of designing an accessible program, empowering deaf-blind consumers and their individual networks. We stand ready to work with the FCC, TRS industry, consumers and other stakeholders to make these initiatives succeed."

 

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