18
03
2010
All..
Looks like Congress folks have noticed the recent FCC ruling. Five members of Congress have written a letter to the FCC regarding FCC’s recent ruling on VRS.
Inslee and Woolsey Letter
Other congress folks on the signature: Eliot Engel, Mary BonoMack and Barbara Lee.
Quotables:
"The Commission’s decision on how minutes generated by employees of relay providers are reimbursed through the Fund as business expenses could lead to unintended, but discriminatory, treatment of deaf/ hard of hearing, speech disabled, and deaf-blind employees."
"The Commission’s rules governing what types of relay calls are reimbursable need to be as clear and thorough as possible so providers are able to fully and proactively comply with the Commission’s rules."
"We also urge the Commission to make such decisions in the future exclusively through a notice and comment process to enable a wide range of input to aid the Commission in developing thorough and sound policies that ensure the provision of stale and functionally equivalent telecommunications access for deaf, hard of hearing, speech disabled and deaf-blind people."
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed Bosson
Long Link:
http://www.edsalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Inslee-et-al-letter-to-Genachowski-on-DA-10-3141.pdf
Comments : 11 Comments »
Categories : Alerts, FCC Issues
12
03
2010
All..
Read the public notice. Finally FCC hires someone at top management role that at least understands TRS very well; after all she wrote a book on TRS. It will enhance Greg Hlibok’s work and he is very knowledgeable about TRS issues. FCC now has two persons who can really help shape TRS into what it should be – functionally equivalent in all aspects.
Deputy Chief Strauss
Notable quotes: "Ms. Strauss will focus on disability issues, among other things, and will help the Commission to implement the components of the National Broadband Plan that address access for people with disabilities, including leading the effort to develop a proposed Accessibility and Innovation Forum"
"Strauss has over 25 years experience working on telecommunications access for people with disabilities."
"Previously, she served as legal counsel for Gallaudet University’s National Center for Law and Deafness, and the NAD. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Bureau Chief of the former Consumer Information Bureau at the FCC. In that capacity, she helped initiate its first Disability Rights Office and managed the Commission’s consumer and disability access program and policies."
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed
Long Link:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-296832A1.pdf
Comments : 11 Comments »
Categories : Alerts, FCC Issues
8
03
2010
All..
Disclaimer: I own edsalert and am a co-founder of Convo. So take this post for what it is.
That said, I feel strange posting that so I will just quote with no comments from me and then let you readers read the pdf file in its entirely. You all already have read my "impending and intending" comments for the FCC so will leave it as it is.
Convo Petition
"The unintended effect of the Ruling is that individuals with hearing loss that utilize VRS and also work gainfully as ethical employees of VRS providers will experience increased difficulties in obtaining employment in that industry."
"Convo has a proposition for a different reimbursement methodology for VRS staff making VRS calls. VRS reimbursement rates for business calls by deaf/hoh employees of VRS providers should be allowed for full recovery at a reasonably modified rate that captures the cost of VRS Communications Assistants plus overhead costs minus the cost of telecommunications infrastructure access. This would make the cost of using VRS no greater for anyone, provider or otherwise, at rates fundamentally no different than what other IP-based telecommunications providers pay for their own employees in a business environment."
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed
Long Link:
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020394929
Comments : 25 Comments »
Categories : Alerts, FCC Issues, VRS
7
03
2010
All..
Check this out:
FCC Panel Meeting
"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
Comments : 2 Comments »
Categories : Alerts
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