Ed’s Telecom Alert

All..

One big step that the FCC took that will impact millions of deaf/hoh as well as how VRS Industry operates big time.  

The FCC has just awarded NeuStar Inc., to build and operate centralized database for Internet-based relay services to create numbering system for VRS/IP users.   NeuStar is expected to complete the system to support ten-digit phone numbers for VRS/IP users by December 31, 2008.  

Basically, NeuStar will need to ensure that each VRS/IP users will have his/her own Telephone Number (TN) where he/she can use the TN to give to either hearing or deaf persons (hearing persons will be automatically connected to VRS of his/her preferred choice of VRS, and deaf will automatically be connected video phone to video phone), can use TN in any VP (a person having Ojo can call VP-200 with TN instead of Internet Protocol address), and most important – really the primary reason why 10 digit TN was formed – was to have access to 9-1-1 where the system will automatically identify who the person is and where he/she lives. 

Keep in mind, though, that this is just beginning of a huge project that will present challenging issues to the NeuStar and the FCC; examples of the "challenging" issues are proprietary video phones.  How will these be handled and all that?  I don’t envy them, but I am sure they are up to the task to resolve that and it will be done with VRS industry’s support/feedback/criticism/etc.  

Check out the links.  

FCC PN on NeuStar doc

FCC PN on NeuStar pdf

Although number of national organizations have helped push this issue to become a reality, I would say that behind all this was dogged persistence (some will say stubborn one person who made this possible.  The credit rightfully goes to SHERI FARINHA for making this possible.  Kudos to you, Sheri!    

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed B