FCC Penalizes ITE
31 07 2007All..
A little background is needed to help better understand how subsidization for relay service works. The TRS providers who have been approved to receive reimbursement rates will on a monthly basis submit conversation minutes to the FCC. Conversation Minutes means conversation between deaf and hearing persons; the start up and wrap up times with relay agents or video interpreters are not counted as conversation minutes. FCC will pay relay providers from Interstate TRS Fund based on the total conversation minutes accured for a month.
The Fund Administrator collects funds from all identified telecommunications carriers. When a carrier does not pay, they can face penalties from the FCC. This link shows that happening to one company.
This is good to know that the FCC is not letting companies "get away" with it by not paying into Interstate TRS Fund. The TRS Fund is what is paying for all Internet-enabled relay service and Interstate relay calls (traditional tty).
FCC Penalizes A Company for non payment
International Telecom Exchange is being penalized for two reasons: not responding to the FCC’s requests in a timely manner and second not paying into TRS Fund.
The link provides additional details on this. Kudos to the FCC for doing that!
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed
RT Admin.
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Question…
Is that only one company that failed to comply?
What is any history of various companies doing same thing as ITE?
Just wondering!
Good question. I don’t know. I would have overlooked that one if one person did not alert me of this. The TR Daily listed that but no where did it say TRS or relay service; so that makes me wonder how many others that were overlooked. I do remember one instance where a TRS provider was brought down by FBI thru efforts of NECA and FCC. This one is altogether another story that I would like to share one of these days.