Rule and Order, and Public Notice by FCC on Emergency and Numbering
28 03 2008Hey Folks,
This is what we’ve been waiting for. Strongly suggest you read these links. Good and valuable information there! Very critical you send comments to this Rule and Order as well as the Public Notice.
FCC Rule and Order Emergency and Numbering
This one is about the FCC adopting emergency call handling requirements for Internet-based TRS providers. What is "Internet-based TRS"? It is Video Relay Service, IP Relay Service, and IP Captioned Telephone Relay Service. It means that the FCC expects these Internet-based Relay Services be able to access 9-1-1 and be automatically recognized who and where the Internet-based relay user is. Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Automatic Location Identification (ALI) are part of regular telephone network, and the rule and order wants to see same thing for Internet Relay Services.
The next part of Rule and Order is - ready for this? - about adopting a ten-digit numbering plan as soon as possible. FCC wants to adopt a plan by Summer, and the ten-digit number be ready to be assigned to Internet-based relay users by December 2008. Hurrrah! The FCC plans to have a stakeholder workshop (mainly vendors as this will be focused on technological issues) that will focus on which and what kind of emergency plan should be adopted and implemented (I’ve send previous vlog on three proposals on this very thing).
What does the ten-digit phone numbering system mean? It means that any Internet-based relay users can have its own "real" phone number; not proxy phone numbers like Sorenson, SnapVRS, or CSDVRS or any others who assign proxy phone numbers. The "real" numbers means emergency dispatchers will be able to recognize the numbers. Also, a SorensonVRS user can call SnapVRS user with phone number instead of Internet Protocol address. One can give the phone number to EITHER hearing persons or deaf person. Hearing will dial the number and automatically redirect to preferred VRS provider. VRS user can call direct to another VRS with same number. Nice! Very nice, indeed.
Public Notice On Numbering Issue
This is a Public Notice on establishing a global, uniform ten-digit telephone numbering system for VRS industry. The FCC wants to address issues such as application of the "slamming", consumer protection (Consumer Proprietary Network Information - CPNI), local number portability, and number resource conservation - or for that matter any other issues you all feel may impact numbering issues. The whole issue is to make Interned-based Relay Service a "true" interoperability.
This is an important Public Notice that both vendors and consumers should respond. I got one comment to other vlog about possibly applying the "universal" numbering system NOT just for VRS users, but for ALL who have video phones including hearing persons who have video phones. This is looks like a great idea and this person who suggested that should submit that comment to this Public Notice.
Again, strongly suggest you all submit comments to both of this Rule and Order and Public Notice. On Rule and Order, if u have a preference of a plan to access e9-1-1 (see old vlog), express away. Personally, I would vote for either Neustar or HOVRS/ATT proposals. On Public Notice, you can emphasize the importance of having information of registrants be kept confidential and not use for political purpose, or share with other 3rd party, or whatever you feel should be done.
It is a great opportunity to let the FCC know how u feel about this very very important issues that the FCC presents to the public.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed B
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Excellent info! Thanks for posting it for us.
Cannot wait to get my 10 digit number!!!!
-J.J.
An excerpt from your text is as follows:
” Hearing will dial the number and automatically redirect to preferred VRS provider. ”
How will this work ? 99.9% wouldn’t have the slightest idea.
Good to get time that all of VRS provider would do to make real 10-digit number!!! no proxy numbers. I have one question if i have some VPs like Sorenson VPs, Ojo VP, Viable webcam, MVP, etc. in my household. Do I mean that I would get different 10-digit numbers for all of them? Right?
If it’s like the number I have been given by Nextalk, an 888 number, the hearing person just calls that number and is automatically picked up by a relay operator. If he sends a fax to that number, it is automatically directed to a fax message box. The relay operator will call me or leave me an email message, or notify me that a fax is waiting in my internet mailbox. I love it! This number is mine only, has no extension number, and couldn’t be simpler. I hope the new guidelines follow this system as well as allow different videophones to connect to one another with the same number.
That would be wonderful - IF the interpreters are profilic in speed reading the fingerspelling as well as signing.
I reported one interpreter to that VRS company.
Basic concept of how 10 digit number system would work.
Deaf to deaf: Dial 10 digit number. Which VP the two deaf persons use doesn’t matter.
Deaf to VRS: Deaf can call any VRS provider. Not clear whether the call to VRS provider is via VRS provider’s IP address or VRS providers 10 digit phone number like with Sorenson VRS.
Hearing to Deaf: Hearing calls VRS provider that Deaf person chooses via deaf person’s 10 digit VP number. It goes to VRS provider deaf person registers with. VRS provider VPs deaf person. If hearing person prefers a VRS provider not chosen by deaf person, a work around like what was set up to give hearing person a preliminary number to dial a telephone company that is not the person’s long distance carrier will be available.
A neutral third party will have the data base for linking the called person’s 10 digit VP number to the Internet protocol (IP) address to make the connections work. All VRS providers will be able to tap into the data base, when necessary, to connect the calls. If I understand it correctly, Sorenson as a server for all VP100/200 has the data base to link the VP100/200 10 digit numbers to the IP addresses. But it doesn’t work with other video phones like the Ojo (Snap VRS) and D-Link because the 10 digit phone numbers registered with these VPs are NOT in the Sorenson VP100/200 server data base.And, of course, since Sorenson doesn’t qualify as a neutral party, they cannot be the third party server.
Family back from out of town - we’ve been checking out a University for the kids - yeah, it is this time.
Anyway, Larry got the idea right.
The following is based on “assumption”. Each VRS provider - supposedly - will have its own 800 number (instead of IP address) where VRS User who had chosen one VRS provider as its preferred choice can use the other ph nbr provided by different VRS provider.
Paul, that is the beauty of the numbering system. We do not have to explain to hearies; just give the ten-digit phone number to hearing person and the number will automatically go to deaf person’s home or work thru VRS. Video Interpreter may need to explain the VRS procedure to hearing person if he or she never used it before.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed B
[…] our own real telephone number (TN) by the end of this year. I recommend you take the time and watch it here. It’s about 7.5 minutes, and worth your time. […]
David,
Perhaps a clarification is needed. You will pick one VRS provider as your preferred VRS provider. Then you get the 10 digit ph nbr that is the “real” phone number. Later you want to change ur VRS provider as ur “preferred” VRS provider, all you need to do is call new one, and change over…and you get to keep your same 10 digit phone number. No need to change the ph nbr.
Dianrez,
It is slightly different than NexTalk in the sense that this FCC rule and order requires using “real” number where emergency dispatchers will recognize who you and where you are calling from. I think NexTalk uses proxy number. FCc will require area code, not 800 or 888, and then rest of 7 digit ph nbr that is right for your area.
One thing I’m not sure about is the portablity of the numbers. What if you move from Maine to Texas, will you keep the same ph nbr? In reading rule and oder, it seems you will keep the same ph nbr, so that begs the question on what about area code? There are still lot of questions that I do not have answer to yet.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed
Thank you for keeping us posted on these important issues.
I have a question about TN. The idea of having TN is exciting. Does this mean the ownership of TN is required through a telephone company like hearing people do with their telephone company? (paying monthly fee for telephone service and his or her TN)
Best,
ML
ML,
I believe that one will get TN from VRS provider. I don’t think there will be any charges for that/monthly or otherwise - at least to my knowledge.
Ed B
David,
I don’t think I answered ur question. You have different vp in ur house, does that mean you will get different ph nbrs for each vp with this system? I am now trying to find out answer to that. I got partial answer, and so far my impression is that one number for all vp in ur house. I’m not sure of the technolical difficulties of that, though.
Hopefully we’ll learn more as we go on.
Ed
One correction here - CSDVRS has been providing customer a real toll free number and it is not a proxy.
CSDVRS has been explaining customers that they are getting a real number from the telephone company.
Thanks
Hi No Name,
I stand corrected. A few of the VRS providers do provide real 800/866 phone numbers.
However, it is not a number that emergency centers will recognize and know who you are. The new TN (with area code - not 800/866 - and 7 regional digit phone number) will make it possible for Emergency Centers to know “automatically” who and what you are. SorensonVRS and a couple other VRS providers have a way to identify, but not thru automatic system like regular telephone number. The new Rule and Order will require that.
Thanks for pointing this out.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed B.