The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Thursday released a resolution, which the Disability Advisory Committee approved Tuesday, on calls to N11 numbers, such as 211 for community health and disaster information (see 1602230066). The committee found that people with disabilities often cannot call N11 numbers. The resolution states that the DAC recommends “the FCC provide clarification of current [Telecommunications Relay Services] rules and remind TRS providers of their obligation to handle N-1-1 calls and, if appropriate, institute an inquiry to find out the extent to which people who use Telecommunications Relay Services are able to contact their local or regional N-1-1 services.” The FCC also released the text of a DAC resolution urging the agency to issue a rulemaking on phasing out text technology (TTY) in favor of real-time text (RTT). “As new technology emerges for voice communications, additional guidance from the FCC, as part of a rulemaking, is necessary to reflect changing consumer behavior and preferences,” the resolution said. “The FCC has recognized the limitations of TTY on some wireless networks, while also recognizing the potential of RTT services.”

The FCC should issue a rulemaking on phasing out text technology (TTY) in favor of real-time text (RTT), the FCC’s Disability Advisory Committee agreed Tuesday. The DAC, meeting at FCC headquarters, approved a report on the move away from TTY.

IDT Telecom received somewhat more support than opposition to its bid for an FCC rulemaking aimed at expanding the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund’s revenue base to include the intrastate revenue of industry contributors (see 1512210029). IDT’s petition got support from a coalition of consumer groups that advocate for the rights of the deaf and hard of hearing, and from some industry parties, including two video relay service (VRS) providers. But a VoIP industry group opposed the petition and an incumbent telco group said the FCC shouldn't make changes to the TRS Fund’s contribution at this time. The initial comments of parties were posted in docket 03-123 Thursday and Friday. The FCC currently assesses industry interstate and international telecom end-user revenue to pay for the TRS Fund.

Video relay service commenters said the record shows a disconnect between FCC attempts to improve VRS service quality while squeezing industry compensation under a four-year rate glide-path, which was intended to bring rates more in line with costs. In replies posted Tuesday in docket 10-51, the providers and a consumer group voiced support for various service improvements, but they urged the commission to address cost and compensation concerns. “What the industry is saying, and consumers recognize, is additional features aren’t free,” one industry representative told us.

Comments to the FCC are due Feb. 4, replies Feb. 16 on an IDT Telecom petition for a rulemaking on possible changes to the contribution methodology for the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service Fund, said a notice in the Federal Register Wednesday. In an effort to strengthen the TRS Fund revenue base, IDT wants the commission to include intrastate revenue in calculating industry contributions and remove a requirement that video relay services be recovered from only interstate and international revenue. The FCC docket is 03-123.

Industry parties and others mostly welcomed possible video relay service improvements floated by the FCC, but also urged the commission to address associated costs and stabilize industry compensation in the face of a four-year regulatory schedule of rate cuts. In a recent Further NPRM, the FCC sought comment on ways to enhance VRS provision of video-connected interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing to communicate with hearing phone callers. Comments filed in docket 10-51, most of which were posted Tuesday, generally supported strengthening VRS provider duties to answer calls quickly and conducting a trial of interpreters with specialized skills. They split on possible use of at-home interpreters.

The FCC invited comment on IDT Telecom's petition to open a rulemaking on possible changes to its contribution methodology for the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service Fund. "Specifically, IDT requests that the Commission implement a contribution methodology that includes intrastate revenue within the TRS Fund contribution base," the Wireline Bureau said in a public notice in docket 03-123 listed in Monday's Daily Digest. "In addition, IDT requests that the Commission remove the rule provision requiring that video relay service costs shall be recovered from only interstate and international revenue." IDT said including intrastate revenue would increase and strengthen the TRS funding base, the bureau said. Initial comments will be due 15 days after the PN is published in the Federal Register, with replies due 10 days later.

The FCC fined Purple Communications $11.94 million for "improperly billing" the Telecommunications Relay Service Fund, which subsidizes services for persons with speech and hearing disabilities. "The Commission found that Purple sought and received millions in reimbursements from the TRS Fund and failed to reasonably verify over 40,000 'users' with obviously false names, including gibberish and profanities," an FCC news release said Friday. "As a result of Purple’s inadequate verification procedures, 'users' could have registered with names like ‘sdfsdf cicwcicw,’ 'Myname Yourname,' or 'Lot$a Money,' for which Purple could be reimbursed," it said. Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc said any improper billing of a federal program is unlawful, "but it is particularly unconscionable when that money is diverted from providing service to consumers with real speech or hearing disabilities who need to be able to make phone calls." The commission found no reason to cancel or reduce a proposed penalty in a notice of apparent liability for forfeiture after reviewing Purple's response, an FCC order said. Commissioner Michael O'Rielly concurred in the action. A Purple representative had no immediate comment.

Video relay service providers urged the FCC to extend relief beyond its proposed temporary VRS compensation rate freeze for the three smallest providers. Larger providers, backed by groups for the deaf and hard of hearing, said they, too, should be shielded from further rate cuts under the commission’s 2013-2017 schedule of reductions. The three smallest providers backed the agency’s proposal and urgent implementation, but asked for further steps to address the needs of providers and consumers over the long run. The comments were posted in docket 10-51 Thursday in response to a Further NPRM (see 1511030064).

FCC financial statements received generally good marks from an independent auditor’s report in the commission’s FY 2015 Agency Financial Report (AFR) released Thursday. Kearney & Co. found the statements “present fairly, in all material respects” the FCC’s financial position as of Sept. 30 in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The accounting firm did find “one repeat material weakness, originally reported in FY 2014, in internal control” regarding Universal Service Administrative Co. budgetary accounting, “one repeat significant deficiency” going back 10 years related to IT controls, and “one repeat instance of noncompliance with laws and regulations related to the requirements of the Debt Collection Improvement Act,” said FCC Inspector General David Hunt in an introductory memorandum. “The independent auditor’s opinion addresses more than $10.1 billion in revenues, more than $460 million in FCC operating expenses and more than $9.2 billion in outlays for the Universal Service Fund and Telecommunications Relay Service Fund,” said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in an AFR message. “Despite the positive audit opinion, the independent auditor’s report shows that work remains at the FCC to continue to improve the agency’s operations.” The $10.1 billion revenue includes: some $8.77 billion from USF, $847 million from the TRS Fund, $340 million from appropriations (regulatory fees), $106 million from auction-related appropriations, $6 million from North American Numbering Plan revenue, and $7 million from “other” sources, according to an “FCC management” overview. Wheeler highlighted FCC work on spectrum, net neutrality, transactions, Lifeline and E-rate USF support, robocalls, empowering people with disabilities, process reform, and field and IT modernization. He voiced confidence the FCC is on “sound legal footing” in net neutrality litigation and he noted the agency raised more than $40 billion in AWS-3 auction revenue. He said field activities “presented real challenges and opportunities for improvement,” given technological change since the last Enforcement Bureau field structure review and given a reduction in FCC resources. “The Commission adopted a field modernization plan that will allow our field operations to do more with less,” he said. “The resulting plan reflects the review team’s thorough, data-driven analysis and concentrates field resources where they are needed most -- areas with the greatest spectrum density. … Once implemented, this plan will save millions of dollars annually.” Wheeler also said the FCC's IT team "is on track to modernize our infrastructure, information and communications technologies," replacing costly-to-maintain legacy systems and "leveraging cloud service offerings to the fullest extent possible."