Ed’s Telecom Alert

All..

In the world of Internet Relay and VRS, there is a ferocious lobbying by several companies that offered proposals how numbering system should be done for VRS and Internet Relay Service.    I’ve listed three. 

Neustar Proposal

HOVRS/ATT Proposal

CSDVRS Proposal

What is the central purpose of this?   To have relay users of VRS and Internet Relay have their own phone number where emergency dispatchers can readily identify and route to correct emergency locations. 

The side benefits of such numbering system is, get this, to make it possible for any VRS users call other VRS users by whatever video phone they have; in other words, Sorenson VP user can call Viable user just by using phone number instead of IP address.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

All..

 I am sure many of you already got Sorenson’s newsletter – Messenger.  

Article on Training by SVRS

I particularly want to call your attention to the Sorenson’s focus on Interpreting Issues. 

EXACTLY – that is what ALL VRS providers should be doing.  Focus on interpreters and quality of Video Interpreters with various workshops, training, etc.   All this has to improve the quality of VRS.   

A few VRS provider get ahead by selective qualification and contract with reputable interpreting service providers – for example HOVRS.   One unique VRS provider contracts with independent VRS centers and each of these independent VRS centers typically are by highly qualified persons who want to keep contract by ensuring high quality interpreters are the ones chosen.  

As I have said many times before, VRS industry is still growing and the growing is still painful, but lately less so for consumers.  We are not there yet, and still ways to go, but I believe and sincerely hope that the path the VRS providers have undertaken is the right way to go.  Based on the poll vote last time, it is the quality of video interpreting that gets people to choose particular VRS provider. 

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

All..

I’ve been asked by a few folks about vPAD from Viable and whether the vPAD actually belongs to Viable or not.  I got the answer from Viable – see the following text. 

"Viable designed and joint developed vPad with its South Korean manufacturing partner, SBNTech. Viable holds the intellectual property rights to the design of the product and has the worlwide exclusive rights to the deaf and hard of hearing market. Viable and SBNTech will jointly market vPad and its derivative products to other commercial markets."

 All..

Thanks to a California friend for this article. 

Modesto Bee Article

I continue to get emails and phone calls from various companies and persons that they are being swindled by nefarious persons who are hearing and calling through Internet Relay Service.  So when Internet Relay providers claim that they have fraudulent relay calls under control, my head shot up a balloon of question marks with one raised eyebrow and one lowered eyebrow with an exclamation "Really?"

I no longer order things via telephone much less via Internet Relay because the companies most of the time will hang up on me – thinking I’m a scammer.  Instead, I opt for online orders via website.  Many deaf/hoh people tell me they, too, do that as well.    

I believe despite onslaught of scammed relay calls, Internet Relay providers really are trying hard to block the crime from happening.  That link shows Go America, Inc may have successfully blocked most of scammed relay calls to the point that they have to lay off relay agents.    Remember Go America has i711 and recently bought Verizon’s IP Relay as well as HOVRS.  Anyway, "success" of blocking fraudulent relay calls means the nefarious people will re-focus on other Internet Relay providers that were not successfully blocking the scammers.   If other Internet Relay providers start laying off their relay agents, we’ll know they’re successful as well.  Both a blessing and curse, it seems. 

One possible solution that I like which we all have been waiting with abated breath is the numbering system.  This numbering system will make it possible for any Internet-enabled relay service providers assign a true telephone number to each relay users.  Relay users can change their relay provider simply by calling different relay provider.  OJO video user can call a Sorenson user simply by using the ph number (instead of [censored] IP Address.   Nice.    Keep in mind this solution is intended for accessing to e911; however, the positive side effect of this numbering system should minimize scammers big time. It is because Internet-enabled relay providers or database service companies will now have to verify the relay users are indeed from America because they need names & addresses as to where they can send police, ambulance, or firetruck to. 

Unfortunately, my face is turning blue for holding my abated breath to see the number system be implemented.  Internet Relay providers and database service companies all have come out with solutions.  Good.  Now need to decide on one and go with it ASAP.   Hasn’t happened.   I know bureaucracy in federal gov’t moves slowly, but seems to be as fast as speedy snail.  

So really – it is now in the FCC’s ball park to move on.  

In the meantime, kudos to GA for blocking the scammed relay calls.  Hope it continues.   Scammers will try to circumvent the blockage and I hope they will not be successful this time.  

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed