The FCC should affirm that only one telecom relay service provide...
The FCC should affirm that only one telecom relay service provider may assign phone numbers to any one device or IP address, and consider permitting only one default provider per geographic location, said Sorenson Communications. In a petition late…
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Tuesday at the FCC, the big TRS provider said the proposed rules would advance public safety and prevent customer confusion. The FCC already requires that only one TRS company provide all numbers associated with a specific Uniform Resource Identifier to reduce the likelihood of conflicting 911 registered location data. Even so, said Sorenson, “some providers -- and some users -- have taken the view that the rules permit multiple providers to assign different telephone numbers to a single videophone.” Since one device can have only one URI, “it would appear impossible for multiple providers to assign numbers to a single device without violating the Commission’s rules,” the company said. It’s also problematic when multiple providers assign numbers to a single IP address used by multiple devices, Sorenson said. Under such an arrangement, only one device will ring, potentially confusing consumers, it said. Finally, “the notion of having multiple VRS providers at a single location is oxymoronic,” Sorenson said. “By definition, users should have a single default VRS provider that is responsible for providing 911 access and for routing all inbound and outbound calls to or from a particular location.” With a one-default-provider-per- location rule, consumers could still change their default provider, and dial around to use services of competitors, it said.