The FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau raised the compensation rates for each of the telecom relay services (TRSs) due to the adjustments in the underlying cost data. It said effective for the July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005, TRS fund year, the TRS compensation rates will be $1.398 per min. (an increase of $0.049) for eligible traditional TRS and IP Relay; $1.596 per min. (an increase of $0.156) for eligible STS (speech-to-speech); and $7.596 per min. (an increase of $0.303) for eligible VRS (video relay service). The Bureau said the National Exchange Carrier Assn. should make such supplemental payments retroactive to July 1 to the providers for services compensated under the initial rates adopted in the 2004 Bureau TRS Rate Order.

The FCC started a project to encourage Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) facilities to participate in the Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) program during crises. TRS gives national security and emergency preparedness users priority use of telecom services needed to coordinate and respond to disasters and crises. The FCC said relay services are essential in making sure disabled people can communicate. The new program will provide educational information to TRS facilities and urge them to participate in the TSP programs. The FCC said it would sponsor TRS applications to the National Communications System for participation in the program and help carriers identify circuits or lines that are links to the switch that handles TRS calls.

Several groups representing the deaf and hard-of-hearing urged the FCC in comments to authorize compensation through the Interstate Telecom Relay Service (TRS) Fund for video relay service (VRS). “Because there is no difference between conversational minutes for video mail and other forms of phone mail -- but for the format of the transmissions used in these messages -- compensation through the Interstate TRS Fund should similarly be authorized for this VRS feature,” said Communication Service for the Deaf. The FCC had already approved TRS access to interactive voice response systems and answering machines and ruled that access was compensatory TRS eligible for reimbursement from the Interstate TRS Fund. “It is a simple, indeed logical step, for the Commission to reach a similar conclusion with respect to video mail,” Telecom for the Deaf (TDI) and National Assn. of the Deaf (NAD) said: “Given the significant increase in VRS usage, functional equivalency requires that video mail, like its TRS equivalent, be considered a compensable TRS service.” They said video mail met the Commission standards for determining whether to require TRS providers to offer a particular service or functionality, because “VRS providers already provide video mail, it is technologically feasible, and it is a feature desired by VRS consumers.” TDI and NAD urged the FCC to rule that video mail is a compensatory VRS and, if necessary, require VRS providers to provide their consumers video mail. Echoing other comments, the Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency said providing reimbursement for the costs of video mail was “fully consistent with the Commission’s rule that TRS providers must be capable of handling any type of call… Video mail is a prime example of a new technology that enhances the functional equivalency of relay services. Without it, the many deaf people who have low English literacy are either left without full understanding if text messages or worse, those who call them are discouraged from leaving any messages beyond name and number.”

One of the few surprises at Wed.’s FCC mostly well scripted meeting was a strong statement from Comr. Copps warning that the FCC is still falling short on homeland security. Shortly after the session’s start, Copps -- responding to an FCC report on post-Sept. 11 communications changes that led off a meeting largely focused on homeland security -- addressed at length Commission shortcomings. Sources involved with emergency communications said Thurs. that issues remain, echoing in part Copps’ statements. Copps, sources said, delivered what he viewed as a moderate speech.

Sprint said it was selected to provide telecom relay service (TRS) in New Zealand and to manage the govt. subsidized pool of TRS user equipment in that country. That marks the first time Sprint will offer relay services outside the U.S.

The FCC approved NECA’s proposed reimbursement rates, funding requirements and carrier contribution factors for the telecom relay service (TRS) fund for July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005. The Commission approved the recommended Interstate TRS Fund size of $289,325,701 and the carrier contribution factor of 0.00356. It said traditional TRS and IP Relay providers would be compensated at $1.349 per min., speech-to- speech relay service at $1.440 per interstate min., and VRS providers at $7.293 per min.

The FCC refined its Telecom Relay Service (TRS) rules at the Commission meeting Thurs. by: (1) Continuing on an interim basis its per-minute cost recovery system for video relay services and adopting the same methodology for IP relay. (2) Directing the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau to increase its TRS outreach but declining to allow use of the TRS fund to pay for such a campaign. (3) Granting a Sprint petition by declaring that providing access to pay- per-call services through 711 calls is allowed under the FCC’s rules. (4) Denying petitions asking for waiver of the rule that prohibits TRS communications assistants from refusing to handle calls that are part of legal depositions or other state legal proceedings. It also denied petitions seeking “cost parity” between toll calls via payphones made by TRS users and those made by non-TRS users. (5) Partially granted petitions clarifying a requirement that TRS facilities route emergency wireline TRS calls to an “appropriated” PSAP. The FCC asked for public comment on several TRS issues, including the appropriate cost recovery methodology for VRS and whether IP relay and VRS should be mandatory TRS services offered 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Comrs. Copps and Adelstein partially dissented. Copps said he was disappointed that the order affirmed a bureau decision to “slash in half the VRS compensation rate with less than 24 hours notice.” He said he also “found troubling the conclusion that some forms of non-shared language TRS are not eligible for reimbursement,” which he said hurts Latinos. Adelstein praised one part of the order that he said offered support to TRS service providers seeking priority status for restoration in emergency situations. However, he said he also was concerned that the order “declares all non-shared language TRS services to be ‘value-added’ and ineligible for funding, particularly in the case of VRS.”

The FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau reminded states and telecom relay service (TRS) providers the annual summary of consumer TRS complaints is due July 1. It said in 2003, out of more than 30 million calls placed through state relay facilities, only 3,500 complaints were reported alleging a violation of one or more of the Commission’s mandatory minimum standards for TRS. “This number represents that less than [0.01%] of TRS calls… resulted in an alleged violation of required service standards,” the Commission said: “This is good news for TRS users.” But it said there still were “some areas where there is room for improvement.” It said more than 75% of complaints came from the interaction between the calling party and the communications assistant (CA). “We therefore remind TRS providers and state administrators that their CAs must, among other things, be knowledgeable of TRS procedures, follow customer’s instructions and continue to keep callers informed about the progress of their call,” the FCC said.

FCC Chmn. Powell called for timely solutions to problems of access by people with disabilities to emerging IP-enabled technologies. Pushing aside his prepared remarks and talking “from my experience and from my heart” during an FCC Solutions Summit Fri. in Washington, he said there’s been “always the same criticism and problem about policy approach to disability access issues -- it’s always been retrofitted. It’s always been bolted on at the end. And it’s always twice as difficult, because it’s been thought of at the end, after investments have been made, choices have been made, polices have been developed.” He urged the disability community to participate actively in the Commission work on disability issues.

Sprint said it had acquired the Mass. relay contract from Vista Information Technologies to become the contracted provider for Verizon’s Mass. telecom relay services (TRS). Sprint, which has been providing the communications platform for TRS in that state since July 2003, said it selected Communications Services for the Deaf to support the services.