A coalition of consumer advocacy organizations opposed petitions for partial waivers of FCC rules requiring correctional facilities to deploy certain forms of advanced telecom relay services (TRS) by Jan. 1. Requests to extend the deadline "substantially harm incarcerated people with disabilities" and advanced forms of TRS are available, Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf, National Association of the Deaf, TDIForAccess, Communication Service for the Deaf and United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry said in a filing Thursday in docket 23-62. The groups opposed individual petitions filed by Securus, Pay Tel Communications, ViaPath and NCIC Inmate Communications (see 2311220052). PayTel urged the FCC to grant its petition, saying providers of incarcerated people's communications services should "be given sufficient time to develop integrated TRS solutions that are reliable, effective, and cost effective." Deploying advanced forms of TRS in correctional facilities "cannot be accomplished if the required third party services are not available for that particular facility," ViaPath said. The current compliance deadline "did not fully take into account the multi-step processes needed for essentially developing a product from scratch through testing and deployment," said Securus.

NCIC Inmate Communications petitioned the FCC to partially waive its rule requiring correctional facilities to deploy certain forms of advanced telecom relay services by Jan. 1 (see 2212080063). NCIC sought a one-year extension to comply with the requirement, noting that IP captioned telephone service provider ClearCaptions backed a similar waiver from Securus. The "modest extension" will "give the marketplace time to develop corrections-grade advanced TRS platforms," said the petition posted Wednesday in docket 23-62.

While the FCC wants to end cable and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) early-termination fees and require prorated refunds for canceled MVPD service (see 2311210043), it also would seek state and local input about adopting something less than a total ban and allowing state and local variations, according to the draft NPRM for next month's meeting agenda. Meanwhile, an FCC order takes a big swing at robotexts, with rules that override recent objections filed at the agency. In addition, commissioners will vote on new data breach requirements in light of recent leaks at major wireless providers. The agency released the Dec. 13 open meeting's draft items on Wednesday.

Hamilton Relay urged the FCC to include additional cost data in the record before setting a new rate methodology for IP captioned telephone service funded by the Telecom Relay Service Fund (see 2310200065). Audited 2022 historical costs and 2023 projected costs should be added to the record, the company said in a meeting with staff from the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Office of Economics and Analytics and Office of Managing Director. "Audited historical costs are critical to rational ratemaking because the audits will help ensure that each provider is using appropriate cost categories and a common approach to the submission of cost data to the TRS Fund Administrator," Hamilton said, per an ex parte filing posted Thursday in docket 03-123.

Missouri’s Public Counsel “supports a renewed look” at the state’s relay service fund, the office commented Thursday at the Missouri Public Service Commission in case TO-2024-0033. The PSC sought comment last month on the continued need for the state’s TRS fund and to review the program’s current 10 cent per line monthly surcharge (see 2308140044). The office cited a declining number of subscribers and technological advancement as reasons to review the Relay Missouri Fund. “If this analysis were to indicate that certain telecommunications services would be lost for deaf, hearing-impaired, and/or speech impaired Missourians, and that the Relay Missouri Fund should continue, it may be worthwhile to revisit the Fund and determine whether changes should be made to better reflect the types of services needed today.”

The FCC’s Disability Advisory Committee approved a report Thursday on best practices for implementing and promoting the use of direct video calling from its Direct Video Calling Working Group (see 2304260060). The group also heard from other working group leaders, plus updates from Commissioner Nathan Simington and FCC staff on artificial intelligence accessibility. The meeting was the first in-person meeting in three years.

The Missouri Public Service Commission is seeking comment on the continued need for the state’s TRS fund and to review the program’s current 10 cent per line monthly surcharge. PSC staff says few consumers use analog relay services funded by the program, the commission said Friday. Comments are due Sept. 7 in case TO-2024-0033. In Alaska, T-Mobile asked to discontinue captioned telephone service on Aug. 31 and revise TRS rates. The Regulatory Commission of Alaska sought comments Friday on tariff filing TA14-750 by Sept. 11.

The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau reminded contributors to the Telecom Relay Services Fund they must pay a percentage of their intrastate, interstate and international end-user revenue for all internet-based forms of TRS beginning July 1, in a public notice Tuesday in docket 03-123. The bureau noted the revised contribution factor for internet-based support is 0.01615 and non-internet-based support is 0.00025. Contributors will receive a statement from the TRS Fund administrator about their required contribution amount.

California’s shift to connections-based USF contribution is no shining example of cooperative federalism, T-Mobile told the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. “It is an unlawful attempt by the CPUC to override the FCC’s policy determination regarding the type of surcharge mechanism that best advances universal service.” Also, in a reply brief Tuesday (case 23-15490), the carrier disagreed with the California Public Utilities Commission that stopping the CPUC order would disrupt nearly every state's USF rules.

Comments are due June 30, replies July 10, on an application by Micronesian Telephone for a five-year FCC renewal of certification for its telecommunications relay service program. The renewal period would start July 26, said a Thursday notice in docket 03-123: “Each state and U.S. territory’s application for certification must demonstrate that its TRS program complies with section 225 of the Communications Act and the Commission’s rules governing the provision of TRS.”