FCC Announces Workshop for VRS Reform

4 12 2009

Attention Everyone!

FCC will hold a workshop on Dec 17 from 2 pm to 5 pm at the FCC’s headquarter at Washington, DC, located at 445 12th St., SW.   Workshop is primary for public and the purpose of workshop is to gather feedback from the public on the following list:

One: VRS should be a choice of competitive service – like it is now or VRS be provided via competitive bidding (like Request for Proposal to select one or a few VRS providers);

Two:  Payment that is fair, and information open to all.

Three:  Set up procedures to stop illegal VRS calls, and technical procedures changed to help resolve interoperability, ten-digit number and make sure emergency call handling are done right.

FCC wants your thoughts to these issues.   Check out the links: (I had problem using the short cut so had to paste long link)

https://portal.neca.org/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_307_206_0_43/http%3B/prodnet.www.neca.org/wawatch/wwpdf/122fccnews2.pdf

If you cannot be at the DC, you can watch live webcast with this: 

http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/

Personally I think Dec 17 is a bad timing being so close to Christmas holiday, but it is an opportunity for Public to give their input.    So vent away your wishes, thoughts, analysis, rants, raves, etc.

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed


Comments : 5 Comments »
Categories : Alerts, FCC Issues, VRS

Federal Jursdiction over IP Services Sought by TechAmerica

4 12 2009

Folks..

This is an interesting letter as VRS Industry as well as a number of shakers and movers of deaf/hoh communities share the same vein of philosophy as this Tech America.  Letter of Tech America were signed by:

A T&T, Google, Microsoft, National Association of Manufacturers, TechAmerica,
Telecommunications Industry Association, T-Mobile, Verizon, and VON Coalition.

Clearly powerful group of companies.  I have quoted what I feel to be quotable quotes below the link.

LETTER

Exactly what is this vein of thinking?  That federal have full jursdiction over IP Services, and not allow states to have any jursdiction over IP Relay.  Sound familar?   I have said that in quite a few vlogs/blogs on this.  

"..we write to encourage Congress to pass legislation affirming that all Internet Protocol (“IP”)-based services are subject to exclusive federal jurisdiction.."

The following quote is what many deaf/hoh have expressed as well for VRS and IP Relay..

"These revolutionary IP services, including Voice-over-IP (“VoIP”), upend traditional concepts of location and/or device based services, enabling customers to have a single number that reaches them no matter where they are and what device (phone or computer) they are using."

"These IP services are designed and built over wide geographic areas without regard to state boundaries." and "IP services will be subject to a patchwork of 50-plus different regulatory regimes, stifling innovation and the industry’s ability to take full advantage of available cost savings."

The last quote above is something I have said over and over as to reason why VRS and IP Relay should not go to state jursdiciton – remember I have been saying that when I was with Texas PUC.

"The continuing evolution of IP-based services will create a more competitive environment and will bring new and innovative services to consumers in all areas of the country. For this trend to continue, Congress must ensure that these inherently interstate services are regulated exclusively at the federal level, to the extent these services need to be regulated at all, and reject efforts to apply legacy state telecommunication regulation to the IP world."

I agree.

Your thoughts, gentle readers?

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed Bosson

Comments : 10 Comments »
Categories : Alerts, FCC Issues, VRS

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