Grant Laird, Jr. Blog

FCC Rulings on TRS/VRS Marketing and Call Handling Practices. Attached are the three documents released by the FCC last week (urls follow this summary). These state that telecommunications relay service (TRS) and video relay service (VRS) providers are not to engage in the following practices:

• Informing a consumer that he may only use one VRS provider (or telling him that his broadband connection may be connected to only one piece of video equipment)
• Adjusting a consumer’s hardware or software in a way that restricts the consumer to using one VRS provider without the consumer’s consent
• Contacting individuals that have previously used the VRS service to suggest, urge or tell them to make more calls.
• Imposing minimum usage requirements on customers
• Selectively answering calls from preferred customers or locations (providers must handle calls in the order in which they are received)
• Allowing customers to make advance reservations so they can reach a communications assistant (CA) without delay
• Having consumers reach only a recorded message that asks for information so the provider can “call back” the customer when the provider wishes to do so - call backs may still be allowed in situations where an individual calls a relay center, is put on queue, and is given the option of waiting or receiving a call back when a CA becomes available.
• Using VRS as video remote interpreting (as a substitute for an in person interpreter)
• Using any program that involves the use of any type of financial incentives to encourage or reward a consumer for placing a TRS call - the goal here is not to entice consumers to make relay calls that they would otherwise not make, just to get rewards from the provider. An example of such a reward is payment for the customer’s high speed Internet service.

TRS PROVIDERS MAY NOT USE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO REWARD CONSUMERS FOR PLACING TRS CALLS; OTHER IMPERMISSIBLE TRS MARKETING AND CALL HANDLING; PRACTICES OUTLINED. Providers Offering Such Incentives Will Be Ineligible For Compensation from TRS Fund. News Release. (Dkt No 98-67, 03-123). News Media Contact: Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0511, e-mail: Rosemary.Kimball@fcc.gov CGB. Contact Thomas Chandler at (202) 418-1475, e-mail: Thomas.Chandler@fcc.gov, TTY: (202) 418-0597

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-256273A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-256273A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-256273A1.txt
OR
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DOC-256273A1.doc
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DOC-256273A1.pdf
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DOC-256273A1.txt

Released: 01/26/2005. FCC CLARIFIES THAT CERTAIN TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES (TRS) MARKETING AND CALL HANDLING PRACTICES ARE IMPROPER AND REMINDS THAT VIDEO RELAY SERVICE (VRS) MAY NOT BE USED AS A VIDEO REMOTE INTERPRETING SERVICE. (DA No. 05-141). (Dkt No 98-67, 03-123). CGB. Contact: Thomas Chandler at (202) 418-1475, e-mail: Thomas.Chandler@fcc.gov, TTY: (202) 418-0597

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-141A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-141A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-141A1.txt
OR
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DA-05-141A1.doc
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DA-05-141A1.pdf
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DA-05-141A1.txt

TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES AND SPEECH-TO-SPEECH SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HEARING AND SPEECH DISABILITIES. Adopted Declaratory Ruling in this proceeding. Denied the Hands On’s Petition. (Dkt No. 98-67, 03-123). Action by: Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau. Adopted: 01/24/2005 by Declaratory Ruling. (DA No. 05-140). CGB

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-140A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-140A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-140A1.txt
OR
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DA-05-140A1.doc
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DA-05-140A1.pdf
http://www.grantlairdjr.com/file/DA-05-140A1.txt

Submitted by Karen Peltz Strauss, RERC-TA

Grant W. Laird, Jr.
http://blog.grantlairdjr.com