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March 27, 2005

VIDEO RELAY: CA Group File Petition/FCC Comments Due 4/15

From: CSD - Mar 27, 2005

VIDEO RELAY USERS UPDATE:
Calif. Group Files Petition, April 15 Deadline for Comments to FCC
 
**PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH OTHER VRS USERS, AND DEAF COMMUNITY MEMBERS**
 
We Want To Make VRS Calls Easier

The California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing filed a petition on February 15, 2005.

They request that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order VRS providers to stop limiting VRS customers to one VRS provider/company.

The California VRS consumer group says that one VRS provider/company prevents VRS users from using its equipment to access other VRS providers in these two ways:
 
1. EQUIPMENT BLOCKING: setting up videophone equipment to make it very difficult to make outgoing or incoming calls;
 
2. CONTRACTUAL BLOCKING: in order to receive equipment, customers must agree not to use services of other VRS providers.
 
The California VRS consumer group explained many problems that are caused when "interoperability" is not allowed. Because of these "interoperability" issues, not all videophone equipment can work with each other:
 
FUNCTIONALLY EQUIVALENT SERVICE
EMERGENCY ACCESS
TWO DEVICES [not functionally equivalent]
INCOMING CALLS
SEAMLESS AND INTEGRATED NETWORK
PUBLIC FUNDS
INTERPRETER EFFICIENCIES
ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICE
DIALING EQUALITY
NON-DISCRIMINATORY SERVICES
 
Signed Video Version and written text explaining these problems is available at http://www.c-s-d.org/enews/03152005a.htm
 
LET THE FCC KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
The FCC has given 30 days for public comments to the filing by the California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. We have established a link on our website where you can send your comments to the FCC.
 
Click (Or Copy & Paste) URL:>>
http://www.c-s-d.org/enews/03152005a.htm
 
DEADLINE for public comments: APRIL 15, 2005.