Ed’s Telecom Alert

Folks,

One thing that the FCC requires of VRS and Internet Relay providers is the ability of deaf/hoh users to be able to port their LN to a different provider.  Local Number is what you received from your original (default) provider.  

Porting simply means you can keep your LN when you change to a new default VRS provider.  There are several items that you all need to be aware of when porting LN to a new provider. 

If you decide that you want to change to a new VRS provider but keep your original LN, you do the following action. 

Contact the new VRS provider and tell them you want them to be your default provider and would like to port the LN.   The new VRS provider will take care of the request, and should be able to continue to use LN immediately; if not immediately, then very soon.

Many people ask this question: can you keep your original VP and be able to port to a different VRS provider? For example if you have an OJO (SnapVRS as default provider), and you want to port LN to, say, Viable as default provider and use OJO, Is this possible?

Right now the "best" answer in this particular case is no, and you would need to give up OJO, and accept VPAD from Viable, but you CAN port LN to Viable/VPAD and use same LN. 

Side note: according to the FCC rule, this porting LN to a different VRS provider and keep the original Video Phone is required by the regulation.  Unfortunately, right now this is not possible with most VRS providers.  

One issue that you all need to be aware of is that the subsequent clarification by the FCC seems to show that rule permits original VRS provider to STRIP all features except this two features: be able to call new VRS provider with the ten digit phone number; and when you type in LN to make a VRS call, VI should be able to automatically call the party of that LN you gave without you having to fingerspell the phone number you want to call. 

What about the stripped features?  Supposedly, new default VRS provider can add their new features to the original VP.  However, at this time to my understanding ALL VRS providers are not able to "add" new features to the VP that they do not distribute.  When will VRS providers be able to do that?  It won’t be right away – one or two years? Or maybe none? We’ll see how the VRS industry and the FCC work that out. 

So if you want to keep LN, a few possibilities seem to be these following items at this time: 

These require porting procedure:

1. You can port LN to new VRS provider and keep original VP and then lose the features of original VRS provider, and accept new features (see above remarks on that).
2. Or you port your original LN and give up your original VP and get a new VP from new VRS provider; that way you keep your original LN (this can be done now). 

These do not require porting procedure:

1. Stay with your original VRS provider; don’t go to another VRS provider. 
2. Or you can keep your original LN and original VP, and just add the other VRS providers to the address book (this can be done easily and most likely most people will do that).  
3. Or get multiple LN from each VP (VRS Providers) if you have several different VPs  (if you have several VPs, this is the most likely course of action that most of you will take.) (See my previous vlog on this.)

Hey, what about these VRS providers who do not distribute VP and you got LN?   I think it is gonna be a problem.  If I understand the relay rule right, you cannot get a LN with no VP.   

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed

All..

This is another series on LN.

Let’s say you have one VP – oh let’s use VP-200 as an example because that is the VP majority of VRS users use.  You decide to have SorensonVRS as your default provider.  Can you call other VRS providers with VP-200?  Absolutely!   Just add other VRS providers to the address book.  That is one rule from the relay regulation. 

Same thing for any other VP.  Let’s say you decide to use Z-150 (CSDVRS) as your default provider, you can add other VRS providers to the address book of Z-150.  

Keep in mind that if you give the LN from default provider to businesses, relatives, hearing or deaf/hoh friends, any incoming calls will come through the default provider.  

Be aware that if you make an emergency call, use your default VRS provider to call for emergency assistance.  Why? Because the system is set up where default provider will be able to get your info immediately and share with emergency dispatcher.   If you call for emergency assistance to a non-default VRS provider, video interpreter will have to ask you lot of questions to find out where and who you are.   Takes longer.

Tip: One way to get around to this problem is to get LN from ALL of VRS providers that distributes video phones; that way, all of them will have access to your important data immediately.  See my previous email on "multiple default LN and VRS Providers".  

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed B

All..

Based on numerous emails and video calls I’ve received, it is glaringly obvious that many deaf/hoh persons still do not understand how LN (Local Number) Procedure works out with VRS.

I will try to do series of vlogs to clarify a few of the LN issues by focusing on one or two items of particular issue.  

Here is the first one:

MULTIPLE DEFAULT LOCAL NUMBERS PERMITTED:

I am sure many of you are puzzled that you get emails, and video calls from VRS providers that you must get LN because the FCC required that and I know many of you hear from VRS Installers who tell you that you MUST choose one "default VRS Provider" to obtain ONE LN as to make the emergency procedure efficient.  

As consequence, many thought it means only you have to choose one VRS provider to obtain one LN and that you are limited to ONE VRS PROVIDER and ONE LN. 

Well, the way the regulations are written now, deaf/hoh CAN get LN for EACH video phones.  For example,  if you have OJO, Z-150, VP-200, VPAD and MVP – you can get LN from each of these VPs.  In other words, you can have FIVE (5) default local numbers and FIVE (5) default VRS providers.  The FCC regulation does NOT forbid that.   You can have more than one default VRS providers and more than one default Local Numbers; however, keep in mind that this permission may change in the future.  

Quick comment on this: my personal opinion is that in the future, I think we should be limited to ONE default LN, ONE default VRS Provider, but be able to access to all other VRS providers; however, much needs to be done on relay rules by the FCC FIRST before adopting that, though.  

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed B

All..

As those of you who follow Edsalert faithfully, this is the ongoing political story of Ex-Chair Martin vs Chandler.  I posted first two vlogs on this where a first story had a committee report that blasted Martin and the report contains Chandler’s emails that were strong in his criticism of the reimbursement rates for VRS industry and indirectly of Martin’s management style that ignored lower management of FCC of this issue.  Martin then defended his management position with a letter and criticized Chandler.  Now I would think this is a final chapter in this story; Chandler rebutts Martin’s statements with the following link.  

Chandler Rebuttal Letter

I’ve known Chandler for a long time.  We have a mutual respect for each other altho at times we have had disagreements; friendly kind of disagreements, really.  

I strongly suggest you read this letter.  It contains important interpretations on how he thinks relay regulations should be interpreted which is not the same as ex-Chair Martin.  One thing Chandler stressed was the reimbursement rates and formula (profit) issues for VRS industry were not what they should be.  Based on literal interpretation of the regulation, it appears that he is right – at least most of them in my opinion.  Of course, a few highly paid lawyers from VRS industry will disagree.   

eyes open & thumbs up,

Ed