Numbers Informative: IP Relay and VRS
13 02 2010Yo Folks…
Check the growth, but particular pay attention to 2008 and 2009 years. Upwards then slowly downwards. The end of Sept 2009, according to NECA website was 7,831,011
Got from NECA’s reports the following:
Projection vs Actual meaning what NECA projected based on historical data and its best analysis.
The percentage indicate projected data is close to what was projected or not.
October 2009 (reimbursed on Dec 2009 to vendors)
IP Relay: -12.2% Projected 5,665,167 down to actual 4,975,801
VRS: -18.0% Projected 10,333,738 down to actual 8,468,606
November 2009 (reimbursed on Jan 2010 to vendors)
IP Relay: -23.8% Projected 5,472,814 down to actual 4,171,883
VRS: -20.6% Projected 9,890,288 down to actual 7,853,287
So it seems that by basing on historical data and NECA’s analysis are not the same as actual data. Why is NECA off? Is it because NECA did not take into account or more likely this did not expect how much the activities of FBI, FCC, and illegal/unethical actions impacted the VRS growth?
The percentage looks like a large drop, but by looking at actual calls. we see that from Sept to November show almost same data. However, by looking at the VRS growth, we see that on March 2009, there was 9 million minutes. So VRS did drop from 9 million to Nov 2009′s 7.8 million. That is approx 13.3% drop.
Is VRS industry getting to stabilizing point? I don’t think so. Your thoughts, Readers?
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed Bosson
Long Link: http://www.edsalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/VRSGROWTH-5.pdf
A change over to other avenues like installing VP programs onto the computer and using Skype rather than calling through VRS centers when calls can be made point to point from these other avenues instead especially where family and close friends are concerned?
To me: Looks like drop in minutes is due to effective Fraud Prevention, plus some unpaid minutes for probably legitimate-but-disputed call types. We cannot know if “.. VRS industry getting to stabilizing point?” until FCC writes come clear rules and all providers consistently follow the final rules.
Other possibility: Many people have lost their jobs in the current Recession. If some Deaf workers were laid off, their work-related VRS minutes are gone too.
In other words: Not enough information, yet.
JK-II – what u say makes sense. So we’ll cultivate patience and contemplate our navels till we get more info then.
One thing I am sure of is that FCC staff under 8th floor are preparing a proposal of reform. I know I speak for all that all sides are eagerly awaiting that!
eyes open & thumbs up…
Ed, I am new to Ed’s Alerts and appreciate the information you post. I am puzzled, though. What do you mean by “the FCC staff under 8th floor are preparing a proposal of reform.”
Two things about that sentence:
1-What is on the 8th floor of what building?
2-What is the “proposal of reform” about? The entire relay industry?
Thank you! And keep up the GREAT work!
Best!
Julie -oo-
Forgive my ignorant. What does NECA stand for?
I find it oddly curious that ip-based text relay minutes have also decreased along with their VRS cousins. I would have thought that all the fraud, waste, misuse, and abuse of TRS minutes occurred in the VRS sector. (Higher $$$)
Why do you think text relay minutes have decreased? Is it because of registration requirements cutting into TRS minutes? (i.e., registration blocks out users calling from other countries.) I would have thought that text-relay providers would have blocked suspcious calls engaging in fraudulent activities.
One commentator said it best; the VRS industry has not reached a ‘stabilizing point’. It appears to me that it’s cratering quite hard. The FCC needs to put out clear regulations in order to stabilize the VRS industry.
How do you know the FCC is preparing a proposal for VRS reform? Other than the inevitable fact that it will come out someday… The regulatory void is too big not to demand reform. I still find it troubling that the FCC still has not responded to NAD’s latest petition. (Granted, they’ve been snowed in lately, but still…)
Julie and DMM,
Glad to have you onboard and forgive me.
NECA is a relay fund administrator. Name is National Exchange Carrier Associaiton. NECA, under directives from FCC, handles funds that reimburses TRS providers.
8th floor at the FCC building refers to where Commissioners work at. Under the 8th floor, I meant the staff who works for various departments and all. Disability Rights Office (DRO) handles relay issues and they work on different floor other than 8th floor.
Proposal of reform – this is admittedly based on hearsay, but the reform is mostly for VRS and IP Relay. I believe the political climate at the FCC is such where they ahve to take action and soon.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Cousin Vinny,
Note on history. Actually IP Relay was the first one that had cheats in it. One company was actually arrested by the FBI. Thanks to one deaf member at the NECA who tried calling the company and got nothing. Then there is sweat shops from other countries using IP Relay to scam companies in USA. The latter is the main reason why many companies refuse to process relay calls. IP Relay providers have improved their filtering system to prevent such scams going through. The increasing sophistication of IP Relay providers in spotting criminal intents may have helped minimize the scammed calls.
eyes open & thumbs up…
Hi, Ed.
I think it is due to the block of international calls and the launch of a new numbering plan which requires every user to register with the VRS and IP relay companies. Growth may be impacted as a result. I can see that there is a big drop of almost one million VRS minutes but remember, VRS and IP relay companies had previously allowed international users to make calls from outside the U.S but this is now blocked so perhaps this may affect the minutes rating? It’s also possible that hearing users won’t be prepared to risk registering their details with companies so the percentage of fake/prank users using the IP relay service has also gone down which is fantastic news.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Marcus Turley
CEO of ERS USA Inc
A little nitpicking … note 2008 graph ends near 8,000,000 but begins 2009 more than 3/4 way to 9,000,000 … what an overnight spurt!
Ed,
Your readers will be interested to know that Purple has finally filed its 3rd quarter 2009 financial report — three months late. It is 62 pgs and eye-opening reading. Check it out by going to http://www.sec.gov and searching for filings under PRPL.
Hey guys,
Check out this video to see what y’all think. It’s regarding to Purple. He’s making claim that Purple is forcing him to call interpreter to pull in more minutes while he’s on a call with customer as a customer service rep. Though, his stats number does show that he’s a lazy customer service rep
Anyway, here is the link to the youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/user/DeafThat#p/u/8/QWVVS7VvXF0
I don’t know whether to believe him or not, but what he says about Purple does not surprise me at all.
Traditional jobs that hearing people take for granted are now available through VRS to our Deaf/HH citizens. New innovative technology integration will allow them to attain positions they never before had a chance, thereby meeting Equal Employment Opportunity through this great ADA law. Diversity Managers in large and small corporations no longer have to worry about “additional expenses” OR “company customers satisfaction/experience” when attempting to hire deaf and hard of hearing persons. Many people do not realize that before this wonderful technology (VRS) and all the contributors to improve it (Functional Equivalence) that the cost to hire a deaf/hh person could not be justified. A business simply can not lose money just to be socially responsible – they will not exist without a profit.
See
http://fccruling.blogspot.com/2010/03/fcc-ruling-gives-me-no-confidence-in.html