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.”

The FCC approved 4-0 NPRMs on expediting the transition to next-generation 911 and giving consumers more choice on the robocalls and robotexts they’ll receive (see 2305180069). Both were approved with limited comments from commissioners.

A coalition of consumer advocacy organizations backed the Communication Service for the Deaf's petition for declaratory ruling that direct video calling services are eligible for Telecom Relay Service Fund support (see 2305050027). Telecom for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the National Association of the Deaf said direct video calling is "uniquely positioned" to fulfill the functionally equivalent requirements for American Sign Language users, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 03-123. It's "an efficient, accurate, and private means of realtime video communication," they said.

Opposition to the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau's plan to place cost and demand data filed in 2023 by video relay service providers in the record for its rulemaking on VRS compensation is due May 3, said a public notice Wednesday in docket 03-123 (see 2107300056). The bureau said it also intends to include VRS providers' "completed [Telecom Relay Service] Fund annual provider form and TRS Fund annual provider form appendix."

The FCC’s reconstituted Disability Advisory Committee held its initial meeting Wednesday, receiving updates from agency staffers on recent developments at the commission. DAC took no actions at what was a virtual introductory meeting. Commissioner Nathan Simington said the start of the new DAC raises questions about the role the FCC will play in the future as more services are no longer clearly regulated by the agency.