Thank you for your reply and cite to the letter you sent to the FCC. I agree and have been witness to many of the “manufactured” minutes that you mention. Yes, the FCC needs to clearly disallow and enforce against this behavior. Part of the problem is how can the FCC either themselves or through tips discover these schemes without the “tippers” breaking FCC policy and/or jeopardizing their jobs?

Even though what’s done is done, I hope the FCC can still enforce, investigate and prosecute past illegal practices, then we all won’t have to dance around exactly which provider(s) have done this. It will be part of the public record.

Pat

What I can tell you is that ALL certified VRS providers are under review by the FCC. HawkRelay and Viable are under heavy scrutiny now. I just got hold of two public document from FBI, I hope to post that in edsalert very soon.

Keep in mind that at this time VRS providers are not guilty of anything; you know the old saying “innocent until proven guilty in court of law”. This applies to VRS providers.

Uh, thank you for trying out Convo.

eyes open & thumbs up,

This is something we’ve been told by several sources. We believe that we can only get straight answer from you, unbiased, as you are well-known in VRS industry even though you just ventured out with Convo Relay.

I feel that Deaf and HOH have the right to know which VRS Provider have been investigated by FCC and/or by Federal Authorities. Whether for a minor or major violations. It is our right to know these things.

Lastly, We want to congratulate you, your partners for venturing out and achieve the lifelong dream! I definitely will try your service!

Concerned VRS Patronage

I will continue to post issued from FCC. Altho I will be in VRS industry so I can’t say I’m not biased. What I can say, however, that Convo will be a stickler to FCC rules. That deaf/hoh persons are the most important ingredient of VRS industry.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Convo has its own call center so video interpreters have explicit instructions on which calls can be processed and which cannot.

By technical platform, I meant Convo uses CAC’s ACD – automatic call distributor. The “don’t ask, don’t tell”. May I suggest you check out
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6520221125

If you ask any of VRS providers – I mean all of them – they have heard in one form or another from me what I think ought to be permitted and what ought not to be permitted. Whether they follow my suggestions or not is another matter that I have no control over.

BTW, this week I will be posting quite a few from FCC and commentators. Very interesting to say the least.

eyes open & thumbs up…

Thank you for your message.

I see by calling that Convo uses the CAC interpreters, if that is what you mean by technical platform.

As for checking out CAC, sounds like a “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Yes, perhaps the FFC will come out with more rules to clarify.

Be well.

Pat

However, I’m sorry to see the lone watchdog of the VRS industry (we all know that the FCC isn’t doing a very good job overseeing NECA and TRS proviers)
be sucked in by it..

I wish you’d stayed clear and continued to lend your words to
combat the wrong.

Anyway..
Best of luck to you.. See you at the conventions (or I will.. )

Mr. Anonymous

Very good question. Convo does use CACVRS to use its technical platform. However, we do not monitor their traffic nor do they monitor our traffic. All VRS providers have their own interpretation of the FCC regulations. CACVRS has its own interpretation as we do. At any rate, Convo processes only organic minutes.

So there you have it. I believe FCC will ultimately come out with ruling that will help VRS industry know what are allowed and what are not.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Congratulations on your new venture.

Can you clarify through which certified VRS provider you are billing minutes and
which interpreters you are using. I either heard or read somewhere that you are
using CAC out of Michigan. If that is the case, have you thoroughly vetted them
and made sure that they have not been involved with any “manufactured” minutes
at any point in their past? If they have been involved, how would you explain your
connection with them given that you are so concerned with ethical business practices?

Thank you.

Pat