Comments on: Hawk Relay Petitioning FCC on SA http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/ POSTS ALERTS REGARDING TRS & ITS RELATED ISSUES Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:31:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: edsalert http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-29487 edsalert Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:43:11 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-29487 Flyboy, Be careful on making this type of accusation. I hope you have facts to back this up otherwise u can be held for libel issues. I've heard similar situation for other VRS providers, but I do not know if they are in fact factual. It is a cutthroat business in the VRS world, it seems. eyes open & thumbs up, Ed Flyboy,

Be careful on making this type of accusation. I hope you have facts to back this up otherwise u can be held for libel issues.

I’ve heard similar situation for other VRS providers, but I do not know if they are in fact factual. It is a cutthroat business in the VRS world, it seems.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

]]> By: flyboy http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-29485 flyboy Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:41:27 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-29485 Hawk VRS is dirty business. it owned by Sam Hawks. He only partner with CAC in michigan. Why he is dirty? Because he only uses his VRS for his other business he has. He required his employee and contractor tu use HAWK VRS. We dont see hawk marketing his VRS much. I think he dont care about providing service for the deaf cuz he just wan to run up the VRS hours form his employees and contractor to get rich from FCC. FCC pay about 6.77 per minutes so that about $400 an hours. So he pays his contractor about $10 an hour to do all the carzy callings. Drity man Hawk.... FCC should terminate his service. Hawk VRS is dirty business. it owned by Sam Hawks. He only partner with CAC in michigan. Why he is dirty? Because he only uses his VRS for his other business he has. He required his employee and contractor tu use HAWK VRS. We dont see hawk marketing his VRS much. I think he dont care about providing service for the deaf cuz he just wan to run up the VRS hours form his employees and contractor to get rich from FCC. FCC pay about 6.77 per minutes so that about $400 an hours. So he pays his contractor about $10 an hour to do all the carzy callings. Drity man Hawk…. FCC should terminate his service.

]]> By: Marcus Turley http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23501 Marcus Turley Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:48:31 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23501 Good Comments and I fully agree with you. In my view, we are used to be patient for the services we receive in the EU but in the U.S, the demands are far too demanding and I think VRS should be seen as alternatives rather than demanding to provide more and more and then explosive! Talk soon. Good Comments and I fully agree with you. In my view, we are used to be patient for the services we receive in the EU but in the U.S, the demands are far too demanding and I think VRS should be seen as alternatives rather than demanding to provide more and more and then explosive!

Talk soon.

]]> By: Ojo-User http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23447 Ojo-User Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:55:00 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23447 Hawk has to remember one thing. The VRS would do anything to meet the ASA by hiring non-certified interpreters! Hawk has to remember one thing. The VRS would do anything to meet the ASA by hiring non-certified interpreters!

]]> By: edsalert http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23422 edsalert Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:24:15 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23422 Folks, You all made good remarks - thought provoking and the whole situation bears careful analyzing for sure. I believe the FCC reads these comments, so I'm sure they will take a pause to ur remarks. Keep them coming, folks! Ed B Folks,

You all made good remarks - thought provoking and the whole situation bears careful analyzing for sure. I believe the FCC reads these comments, so I’m sure they will take a pause to ur remarks. Keep them coming, folks!

Ed B

]]> By: FAM http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23419 FAM Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:15:25 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23419 I am much against reduction on speed of answer requirement. I lost 2 days of Cisco VOIP training last week because the interpreters are not available at my work. Also, we had a meeting with contractor and our team. My boss had to use AIM to type in what was said in the meeting because interpreter is not available. We are working on VRI and VRI is a temporary solutions. I prefer to have a interpreter on site rather than use VRI. I can image that it is hard to use VRI when there are several deaf and hearing people in a room. Hawk Relay seems to try to push issue of Speed of Answer so that they can force issue to benefet themselves. And if FCC reduce Speed of Answer, VRS provider would start to hire low quality interpreter to meet the requirement. I have tried to use all VRS provider such as HOVRS, Sorenson, CSDVRS, Viable, and Snapvrs. Sometimes, I do find myself waiting for more than 1 or 2 minutes during peak time. I never have to wait more than 3 minutes. With VP, you still can choose your own VRS provider. You are not limit to one provider. All you have to do is to add them to speed dial. I am much against reduction on speed of answer requirement.

I lost 2 days of Cisco VOIP training last week because the interpreters are not available at my work. Also, we had a meeting with contractor and our team. My boss had to use AIM to type in what was said in the meeting because interpreter is not available. We are working on VRI and VRI is a temporary solutions. I prefer to have a interpreter on site rather than use VRI. I can image that it is hard to use VRI when there are several deaf and hearing people in a room.

Hawk Relay seems to try to push issue of Speed of Answer so that they can force issue to benefet themselves. And if FCC reduce Speed of Answer, VRS provider would start to hire low quality interpreter to meet the requirement.

I have tried to use all VRS provider such as HOVRS, Sorenson, CSDVRS, Viable, and Snapvrs. Sometimes, I do find myself waiting for more than 1 or 2 minutes during peak time. I never have to wait more than 3 minutes.

With VP, you still can choose your own VRS provider. You are not limit to one provider. All you have to do is to add them to speed dial.

]]> By: John Pirone http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23353 John Pirone Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:36:32 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23353 I wonder what is the true motive behind the petition? Do they (Hawk Relay) truly want Deaf people to have an equal access as everyone else or do they just do that to undermine the level of competitiveness by large VRS providers? We all want an equal access and no question about it. Unfortunately, in reality, to gain something that serves our needs is to lose something (cost). Like you said, if SA is reduced, then it would have an impact on large VRS by putting more pressure on them to hire more interpreters when the supply of interpreters is so scarce. Your question is not easy to answer, ha. Because the supply is limited, I would prefer to leave the regulation unchanged for some time until there is an evident increase of the number of interpreters available in the market. This leads me to ask a question - do we have that information available to us? Thank you for the video and I always enjoy watching your announcements and thoughts. I wonder what is the true motive behind the petition? Do they (Hawk Relay) truly want Deaf people to have an equal access as everyone else or do they just do that to undermine the level of competitiveness by large VRS providers?

We all want an equal access and no question about it. Unfortunately, in reality, to gain something that serves our needs is to lose something (cost). Like you said, if SA is reduced, then it would have an impact on large VRS by putting more pressure on them to hire more interpreters when the supply of interpreters is so scarce. Your question is not easy to answer, ha.

Because the supply is limited, I would prefer to leave the regulation unchanged for some time until there is an evident increase of the number of interpreters available in the market. This leads me to ask a question - do we have that information available to us?

Thank you for the video and I always enjoy watching your announcements and thoughts.

]]> By: Dianrez http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23271 Dianrez Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:14:52 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23271 I have given up waiting for a video relay interpreter and tried a different VRS in hopes of getting a faster response. Usually it works, but you have raised an important point. What if we have so many VRS agencies that they are depeleting the interpreter pool? Should we concentrate on having a few quality VRS than leaving it open to competition? Sometimes I prefer to use the internet relay or TTY relay for documentation or for quicker response...but find a variability in the quality of relay operator. Most annoying is when a faceless relay operator becomes so literal that it halts the whole process. For example, rattling off a list of menu options without using commas to separate them; causing me to choose the wrong number, then telling me "your option is not available" if asked to select for a live operator. Any comment on how this is confusing brings the response "relay is not allowed to engage in conversation" or "relay does not know the answer, please choose an option". This is forcing me to use video relay interpreters as it is more face-to-face and the VRI is less likely to frustrate one because of laziness, literalness in following printed instructions or boredom. To be sure, keep a variety of relay operators and modes of relaying, but let's focus on quality now that we have the means. I have given up waiting for a video relay interpreter and tried a different VRS in hopes of getting a faster response. Usually it works, but you have raised an important point. What if we have so many VRS agencies that they are depeleting the interpreter pool? Should we concentrate on having a few quality VRS than leaving it open to competition?

Sometimes I prefer to use the internet relay or TTY relay for documentation or for quicker response…but find a variability in the quality of relay operator.

Most annoying is when a faceless relay operator becomes so literal that it halts the whole process. For example, rattling off a list of menu options without using commas to separate them; causing me to choose the wrong number, then telling me “your option is not available” if asked to select for a live operator. Any comment on how this is confusing brings the response “relay is not allowed to engage in conversation” or “relay does not know the answer, please choose an option”.

This is forcing me to use video relay interpreters as it is more face-to-face and the VRI is less likely to frustrate one because of laziness, literalness in following printed instructions or boredom.

To be sure, keep a variety of relay operators and modes of relaying, but let’s focus on quality now that we have the means.

]]> By: George Adams http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23264 George Adams Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:33:24 +0000 http://www.edsalert.com/2008/03/27/hawk-relay-petitioning-fcc-on-asa/#comment-23264 For example, I tried to use Sorenson interpreter, but it took longer for the interpreter to response than smaller VP, so I switch over to them. I think the FCC should have allowed to list all 14 VP on their VP device so it would be much easier for me to dial which ever I choose. As well I notice using Sorenson device and try to use other VP, seems cannot get clear picture of the interpreter when she or he signs. Need to clear this matter up so all Deaf or HOH can use any VP. I think the big VP should help the little guys. Truly we do need more training for more qualified interpreters. I cannot even get an alive interpreter to the doctor's office or hospital. Because all the good interpreters are working for the VP. This put the Deaf in a bad spot that they cannot find alive interpreter. For example, I tried to use Sorenson interpreter, but it took longer for the interpreter to response than smaller VP, so I switch over to them. I think the FCC should have allowed to list all 14 VP on their VP device so it would be much easier for me to dial which ever I choose. As well I notice using Sorenson device and try to use other VP, seems cannot get clear picture of the interpreter when she or he signs. Need to clear this matter up so all Deaf or HOH can use any VP. I think the big VP should help the little guys. Truly we do need more training for more qualified interpreters. I cannot even get an alive interpreter to the doctor’s office or hospital. Because all the good interpreters are working for the VP. This put the Deaf in a bad spot that they cannot find alive interpreter.

]]>