Ed’s Telecom Alert

The title of workshop is "EXPANDING DISABILITY ACCESS WITH WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES".

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-297706A1.pdf

Quotes:

*  Mobile communications access issues facing people with disabilities and the disparities in technology access.
*  Ways in which new technologies can offer opportunities to meet the communications access needs of people with disabilities.
*  Technology demonstrations of advanced mobile communications.

Workshop to be held on May 13, 2010, from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm. 

Encourage your Mover and Shakers of the Deaf/HOH World to attend this.  

Should be interesting…

eyes open & thumbs up,

Yours Truly attended one of the biannual meetings of Interstate TRS Advisory Council meeting at the National Harbor, MD on April 8, 2010.  

The meeting was an eye opener and I am happy to post the presentation by the NECA.    Read the presentation carefully as it will ultimately impact y’all. 

NECA Presentation

It explains MARS rate for TRS (not Internet-based services like IP Relay or VRS). Slide 4 and subsequent slides after that.  MARS simply combines all the states’s reimbursement rates (as result of RFP procedure) – taking several factors into account – and then do an averaging to come up with reimbursement rates.  Different than the traditional way of cost-break down analysis.  MARS is lot easier way to do the accounting.  

However, what you all should be looking at is the proposed VRS rates.   Current three year period for tiered reimbursement rates for VRS will expire on June 30, 2010.   Slide 17. 

Slide 18 lists current VRS rates.   Slide 19 and 20 and a few other slides explain what costs are considered in calculating rates for VRS.  It mentions return on investment at 11.25%.  Definition of "investment" ultimately means not ALL of investments into VRS will have that 11.25%.   I do not know the details of that yet. 

See slide 26 states that "weighted average cost" which to me is similar to average break-even cost for current is $3.95.  Slide also stated that projections by providers for 2010 – 2011 is $5.61 as the weighted cost average. 

Slide 27 shows "alternative" VRS rates at between $6.04 and $5.64.  Different than current rates of between $6.23 and $6.70.  

Rest of slides offered alternative VRS rates as well.   Lower than above alternative rates.  

I think I would be stating the obvious if the VRS rates go down to $4 something, only one VRS provider will survive that.  

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed