About
Edsalert Readers,
Ed’s Telecom Alert is managed by myself (Ed Bosson) and I just retired on August, 2008. I worked for Texas PUC for 19 years as Relay Texas Administrator.
The alerts typically do a brief summary or quotes of the topic with a link to the full-blown description of an article or a document if you wish to explore the topic further. It will be in one of these forms: blog or vlog.
When you go to edsalert.com and, if you find the blog informative, you can subscribe to it. It is fairly simple and self-explanatory. Once you subscribe, you will automatically get posts from edsalert.com. Sometimes there is no news for a while, and other times you may get a lot in one day – it depends on the available news sources. Some of the alerts are late in coming, nevertheless I often offer a brief analysis that may not be available from existing publications.
I shall endeavor to post vlogs/blogs that are balanced, and it will be with a strong slant advocating consumers. I will express an opinion from time to time, and it will be based on what I perceive to be the most balanced analysis.
It is equally easy to unsubscribe if you so choose.
From time to time, alerts will digress to non-relay issues. One of the things that people like about edsalert.com is the ability to comment on any of these alerts and read what others have to comment on various alerts – from time to time you will see a series of comments about a particular topic. It is interesting to see how they comment.
Comments from readers are welcome and encouraged!
Disclaimer: Be aware that I own Edsalert and also am a Co-Founder of Convo Communications, LLC. so accept my posts for what they are.
eyes open & thumbs up.
Ed Bosson
Updated as of January 24, 2009
I wonder if there any company is working on having Text message with their deaf’s cellphone like hiptop or sidekick 3 or blackberry with 911. I think FCC should provide some funding to furnish all Deaf or HOH thruout the U.S. to have pager or cellphone to call out for emergency needs. These devices are their lifesaver. So we can have Weather Alert or Terrorist alert and other warnings.
George,
I think there were some talk by Homeland Security about that. I do not know what results were. TDI may be able to address this issue as they had won a contract of outreach for Homeland Security if I remember right.
hi Ed,
Congrats on the honorary doctorate degree! I remember you at the TDI Conference in Alaska and boy, have you come a long ways!
Do you have any figures on what percent of relay traffic is HCO? VCO? Text? VRS?
HI Ed,
I am interested in responding to FCC’s public notice of TN. However, I need some guidance on how to proceed on this. Are you willing to hook up with me via VP?
I do not have your email address. You can contact me by email, sacramentoCAD@gmail.com.
Thank you,
ML
I have one question for you.
I have been trying to find information about becoming a VRS provider and I find it very difficult. I’ve contacted FCC, but they are not helpful. There is no website or forum that may provide some leads to the right source.
Is the information only known to the internal?
John, Actually the informatin on how to become a TRS provider is same as how to become VRS provider. One does need to be extremely knowledgeable on reading regulations from the FCC. There is not one source on "how to become VRS Provider". There are quite a few subsequent releases by the FCC on issues for VRS provider of which an interested party is interested in forming VRS; these include waivers, access to emergency dispatchers, the upcoming ten-digit phone numbers, and quite a few other issues. FCC has no intentions of "holding hands" for those who have very little knowledge of telephone regulations. You’ll either have to do ur homework, or hire/contract out to a person/company to help you form the company. To forma VRS center for the first time, and to meet all the minimums probably will require at the very least $50K (this figure is probably low). If u have the wherewithall and all, good luck! eyes open & thumbs up, Ed B
Ron,
I must have overlooked your question. My apologies. If you meant data for whole USA? No such data exists for that; you’ll have to ask each states to get the info. If you just want interstate data (not local or intrastate), you can go to http://www.neca.org/source/NECA_Resources_216.asp
Happy exploring. This is a wealth of information u can find.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed B
Audrey Leger made a motion at our Houston Deaf Seniors of Texas’s meeting in March. She would like for Ed Bosson to come to our meeting to speak to us. If you need us to pay, please let me know. The only time that you can speak to our group is on the 4th Wednesday of each month. Just let me know which month you can make it. We are at West Gray Adaptive Recreation Center, 1475 West Gray, Houston, TX 77019. Ed can speak at 10 AM for an hour or two. Thanks so much, Nancy Morris – Editor of HDST Newsletter
Nancy,
You can send email directly to me with this email address.
ed.bosson@puc.state.tx.us
I’ll be happy to discuss this further with you.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed B
Hi Ed,
My research shows that there are an estimated 1.5 million deaf people in the US and up to 2 million who use ASL. Do you know what the market penetration is of VRS – e.g., how many people in the US use it?
I’m with a start-up called Vidtel, which is developing video telephony service targeted to certain segments, including the deaf community. It will allow people to communicate in real-time using video over broadband. It will be device-based and have one phone number – much easier to use than Skype and VRS and better quality.
Thanks!
MJW
Hi MJW,
There is no known formal research/census count of exactly how many deaf/hoh is in USA. Your estimated number seems awfully low and I would be interested in knowing your source. Anway to answer your question, no one really knows either. Your best bet is go to http://www.neca.org; go to the left, click to resource, and then click to TRS – you may find clues to what you’re looking for.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed B
Ed
WOW, Keep up the good work..
JAJ
Ed,
Well, I think it should keep where it come from to being…
JAJ
I would like to know if consumers who signed up for 10 digit in their home/local as their 10 digits phone number. Is it possible for the consumer(s) sign up for only one with one provider instead of sign up for several numbers under different provider (relay services). If consumer happened to sign up for one under one provider/VRS, then decided to change the provider – is that possible too?
Thanks
CJS,
I believe that the FCC rules originally meant for VRS user to choose one VRS provider as the default VRS provider and obtain an 10 digit phone number from the VRS provider. Then if you decide that you want a different VRS provider, all you need to do is notify different VRS provider to change over, but you get to keep the same ten digit phone number.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed B
PS: you may have noticed I used the word “originally”. It is because the FCC and VRS industry has not come to a technical solution on features of VP. Should the features of VP be kept when changing to a different default VRS provider? That is the question now.
I dont know where to post the qtns and guess this is the place.
)
1) Will 911 center recognize the ten digits ph nbr that I got from the provider when I am away from home using the mobile device or laptop?
2) For the database with 911 call center – will they only recognize one ten-digit phone number registered or given to one household?
3) If I happen to have partner who lives with me, will 911 call center be aware of that? Do i need to add more than one names to the database, too for the 911 call center to recognize more than one person in this household?
4) With the mobile device (vpad, z, mvp or laptop with webcam) i own, will i need to register seperate ten-digit phone number for my partner to use my mobile device(s)?
Thanks.
Car,
Question #1: I believe emergency will “recognize” the number as to who the IP Relay User is; it won’t know where you are if you are not at home. The IP Relay User will need to give location to the emergency dispatcher.
Question #2: Any numbers VRS users receive from VRS providers will be recognized by emergency. If you got more than one telephone numbers and you got all of them from VRS or IP Providers, yes the emergency will recognize all of htem.
Question #3: You will need to provide the information to the relay provider to include any additional information.
Question #4: This is a question that the FCC and VRS industry are now trying to resolve.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed
Hello Ed:
Is there a way I can reach you? I tried that e-mail addy that you had in a previous posting to no avail.
Thanks,
Paul
Hi
I was looking for yesterday’s post:
http://www.edsalert.com/2009/02/25/neca-report-on-interstate-trs-fund/
What happened to it?
Thanks,
Dave
Dave,
I replaced it with a new vlog. The first one I send out had mistake in it, so I replaced it.
Ed
Wonder why you don’t publish stuff like this? Make me wonder if you protecting $orenson.
http://www.mishkazena.com/2008/12/10/congressional-report-criticizes-fcc-and-sorensen/
DC,
Obviously you did not read all of the Vlogs. I did publish the Congress Report sometime ago.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed
Hi Ed,
I wonder if workshop events like this are legal? The presenter signs in ASL to a VRS interpreter, who then interprets the call into voice English to a X number of other interpreters, who then signs in ASL to their callers. Everyone involved are Deaf and use ASL except for the VRS interpreters. For example, see below:
“For ALL conference calls, do the following:
To join, use the Video Relay Service (VRS) and do the following:
Call VRS (see below). You are encouraged to call about 10 minutes before the start time.
Dial the number XXX.XXX.XXXX
Give the video interpreter the access code: XXXXXX.
You are now in a conference meeting. Wait for the meeting host to welcome you. You can use a service provider of your choice. The (name of organization) recommends
wonderfulvrs.tv. ”
Is this legal? Want to make sure it’s ok before I participate in conferences like this.
Thank you.
Does anyone know how to register a Viable VPAD+ with a VRS company other than Viable?
Thanks!
Aching,
I don’t know the answer to this. Anyone know?
eyes open & thumbs up..
my friend tried to email ed.bosson@puc.state.tx.us and it’s not getting through. please advise.
Ed-
Do you use Twitter?
Heya Ed..
I want to have functional equivalence with ip relay calls -
I noticed i711 is the only one doing this so far…. which is sad. I want to be able to have automate machines that verify stuff call me. Or other things that don’t need people to sit online and wait for the next available representative.
I tested with SIPRelay to verify Google Voice and it always fails. I try to test my own g1 cell phone calling my SIPRelay number on my work BB and it always fails. Some services have a time out. It annoys me.
Is there some way to make this better for everybody? I’m sure others have the same complaints. I also am sick of them announcing “this is so and so relay interpreter ….” people will just hang up and say screw that and ignore it. With i711 it uses my own message and people almost never know. This is why I always get messages left on my i711 phone as opposed to my other phones i.e. Purple, Sorenson, etc…
it is not fair to us if people get the relay message and “advertising info” about the co first, as that is NOT functional equivalence at all. It makes us look different and potential scammers also.
Ideas?
Brenden,
In most TRS providers, you can in advance instruct CAs how to announce the way you want them to announce. I like to advise them to use this “Hi this is Ed Bosson calling through (VRS, whatever), may I speak with [so so] please?”
“Advertising info” I assume you meant name of provider that CAs announce with? If so, you can instruct CAs how to announce without the name of provider.
A few folks do that.
Take care..
eyes open & thumbs up…
Ed – I mean the messages one gets when a hearing person calls a deaf person’s local number.
i711 does pretty well with that compared to everybody else. Have you tested what they say when hearing people call? I have.
B
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Video-Chat-Banned-United-Airlines,news-6109.html
This is going to be one interesting debate!!! Can they really ban us from using our VRS provider???
John,
That was interesting bit of news you found. I guess that the feds are worried about terrorists having communication between land and air and wants to prevent any possible coordination of attacks.
I’m little puzzled though cuz I see hearing persons using cell phone just before when plane is taxing to take off, and once the plane landed and taxing around. I guess only under these circumstance, two way communications are ok? I know I use AIM to alert my friends or relatives to let them know I am taking off or let them know “the bird has landed”.
I guess my question is if hearing persons cannot make a two way conversation while flying, then deaf/hoh should not either. Functional equivalence, ya know.
eyes open & thumbs up…
hello nicole i usually vp start last march so i was great it is important for emergency tell fcc i not want cut the vp so i don t used tty too much my hand easy for me to sign LANUAGE ON VIDEOPHONE
SINCERLEY,NICOLE ORVIS
Hi Ed ..
Thanks for maintaining this entertaining and informative blog.
There’s something I’ve always wondered about and maybe you can help. Why is VRS only provided by private companies? Is there some reason why VRS is not set up as a nonprofit venture? If a VRS company were nonprofit and invested its profits back into the business or gave them away to the community, I would definitely use that company and so would everyone else ..
Thanks,
Tom
Tom,
One non-profit organization did provide VRS. It failed because it did not have the business savvy to do it and FCC came down hard on that “VRS Provider” because it was not meeting all the TRS regulations.
That said, any non-profit organization can get into VRS business if they want. Just need to make sure that people are well-versed in VRS business. It is tough business to be in.
eyes open & thumbs up…
I just discovered that Apple is now preventing iPad 2 users from downgrading from 4.3.5 to 4.3.3. Obviously, Apple is trying to prevent people from jailbreaking their iPad 2. The one thing Apple is forgetting; without the ability to downgrade the device to 4.3.3 so a user can choose to jailbreak (perfectly legal to do so) the user cannot use Facetime over 3G connection. The user is limited to only using Facetime over WiFi. This is very limiting because it prevents a Deaf or Hard of Hearing user from making a phone call to other Facetime users and in some cases to a hearing person through video relay.
Historically, a user was able to control the version of iOS installed on the device. Apple is now acting with impunity and all out monopolistic actions that are having detrimental effects on Deaf users.
Daryl,
What you are saying is true and it is also true of nearly other big companies nowadays with their proprietary features. I just wish the FCC or DOJ or the federal agencies that are responsible for oversight of businesses will wake up and take action that represents people!
eyes open & thumbs up…
Hi Ed,
Do you still have a list of all Eligible VRS Providers and White-label Providers?
Could you re-post it?
Hi Ed. Have you heard anything about VRS companies not getting paid by the FCC? We are told that by a VRS company.
THANKS.
Anonymous,
The bottom line is: Certified and any non-certified providers that follow the TRS regulations will be paid; those that do not follow the TRS rules will not be paid.
eyes open & thumbs up..