Ed’s Telecom Alert

Folks,

You have heard lot of media news that USA is lagging far behind rest of the world for fastest broadband speeds.  Well this article is sorta a reality check and assess the circumstances realistically.  Turns out that we’re not too bad after all.  

Broadband Speeds

Biggest reason why we’re "behind" is simply we’re big country.   Most of Europe countries are densly packed.  

Click to this and be proud of being an American after all…

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

All…

I imagine many of you are wondering about portability issue regarding LN from VRS provider and VP from VRS.  Are both "portable"?  If you remember my past vlogs, right now  because of technology issues only LN is portable, not the equipment.  What does that mean?  It means you can’t port equipment to a different VRS provider.  For example, if you have – oh say – VP 200, and you like SnapVRS, you can port your LN to SnapVRS, but you cannot port VP-200 to use SnapVRS services.  

A big "but but" doesn’t Number Order require BOTH LN and Equipment be portable?  Order stipulates that, yes.  Is that a good idea?  Personally, I don’t think so.   We all know that if VRS providers are required to do that, you will lose the original features.   

CSDVRS Suggestion

CSDVRS suggests another approach which is for FCC to:

"Eliminate requirement for CPE to operate on another VRS provider’s network when the user ports his or number to a new default provider."

What this means, port only number, not the equipment to a new VRS provider of your choice.  Rationale: increase incentive for VRS provider to stay in the game and improve their features (if forced to port equipment, they may stop doing research and development for new features or worst still may abandon VP altogether), functional equivalent to VoIP and Cell phone industries (have to give up equipment to get a new equipment if you change to a new service), and other what seems to me justifable rationales.

Click and see what you think.  Let us know..

Remember this is not a rule making proposal – at least not yet.  CSDVRS will need to submit a rulemaking request to modify existing Number Order on this if the company wants to pursue it further.  

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

All..

The link will show you the list of expectations from these consumer groups on what they think the FCC ought to do.   

Consumer Group Remarks

Name of consumer groups who filed the collective remarks are the following:

• Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc.,
• National Association of the Deaf,
• Communication Service for the Deaf,
• Hearing Loss Association of America,
• California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing,
• Association of Late-Deafened Adults,
• Deaf & Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network, and
• American Association of the Deaf-Blind

Basically. the remarks touch on the FCC’s bureaucracy procedures relating to telecommunications relay service and closed captioned issues and suggesitons on how to improve these procedures. 

Examples are: should not so easily exempt TV shows from providing closed captioning, add oversight functions to Disability Rights Office, be familiar with disability issues, work closely with persons with disability issues on various issues, etc etc. 

Slow reading, but worth it if you want to know what kind of suggestions from these nationally known consumer groups.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

All..

Finally Obama selects a person to be the Federal Communication Commission Chair, and he is Julius Genachowski – easy to memorize the name, go like this: GENA CHOW SKI.   Here are several links to the articles:

CNET Article

CNET article focuses on Genachowski as strong advocate of Net Neutrality which in my humble opinion is a good thing.  

Info Week Article

Info Week article said that was the worst kept secret that was finally confirmed by Obama’s announcement.  Article mentioned Genachowski did a legal work for Reed Hundt (for those of who shot up balloon of question on Hundt, he used to be FCC Chair and was a strong supporter of persons with disabilities).

WJ Article

WJ article mentioned that Genachowski did fund raising event and raised $500K and was the top technology advisor to Obama during campaign event. 

I can safely say that I KNOW that deaf leaders in DC area will endeavor to have a meeting with Genachowski as soon as possible to get their congrats and try to get Genachowski’s support for persons with communicative challenges in the telecommunications world. 

What happens next is for the Senate to confirm him.  It seems very good chance of that.  

Important: Once Genachowski starts working for FCC, I urge you all to send him a congratulatory email or letter and be sure to let him know you’re deaf, hoh, speech disability, or whatever disability you have so he will know there are people with disabilities watching him closely.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed