FCC March 10 Panel Meeting
7 03 2010All..
Check this out:
"This conference will bring together government officials, consumers with disabilities, industry groups, and academics to discuss how to fulfill Congress’ vision that all Americans, including people with disabilities, share fully in the benefits of broadband."
Also this: "The conference will explore the role of innovation; the need for legal, policy, and regulatory changes; and the importance of collaborative problem-solving and open government processes."
Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 8:45 – 12:30 p.m.
Martin Luther King Jr., Library 901 G. St. NW Washington, DC
http://www.fcc.gov.live
I see that NAD will be part of this panel group discussion. Rosaline Crawford, a lawyer representing NAD. will be there.
When I was relay administrator of Texas, and had five town hall meetings annually, one of the repeated comments I get from audience is lack of high speed broadband in rural areas for video conference calls and in south and far west Texas, affordability issues. I hope this panel will address this very issue simply because many deaf/hoh now depend on VRS for many important issues and it goes to reason that these who live out in the boondocks likewise do as well.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed
Long Link: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-296698A1.pdf
Ed-
I am not sure if I am with you that broadband should be a right of deaf people so they can access VRS. I know many hearing people who struggle to get high speed in rural areas and even then, it is either too costly or only works well for computers but not videophones. Especially those rural areas that are using fiber optic wireless lines to power a range of rural areas.
Those who still live in communities that use dial-up or other forms of “alternative broadband” are probably going to need to use text-based TRS because the speed required to support video conferencing is significant given that only 20 people live in a 50 mile radius in some places. It is not feasible.
rpk,
What I meant is I hope that the FCC Panel will come up with a solution – perhaps a low cost for high broadband speed.
What you said is true and I hope that federal gov’t will resolve that. At least that is one of Obaman’s directive to Congress to resolve that.
eyes open & thumbs up…