CAPTIONED PHONE SERVICE COMING ON COMPUTER, PDA OR OTHER WIRELESS DEVICE FOR HEARING IMPAIRED
FCC approves Internet Protocol captioned telephone service for reimbursement from the telecommunications relay fund. Now captioned telephone will be brought into the broadband world. This will enable Americans with hearing loss who have up to now been served by relay services to have full communications access.
A computer, PDA or wireless device will be used to make a call without having to purchase special telephone equipment and will be particularly helpful in the workplace. In addition, people with low vision will be accommodated because they can take advantage of the large text, variable fonts and colors available.
A consumer can make a voice-to-voice phone call and then both listen to the other party, to the extent that they can hear what is said, and read on a screen what they have said, giving clarity. The Commission said that it expects that, as with captioned telephone service, the service will be provided in a way that is automated and invisible to both parties to the call, and will be fast enough to keep up with the speed of the other party’s speech.
The Commission conditioned its approval of the October 2005 petition from the Hearing Loss Association of America, which was widely supported by more than 30 organizations in the disability community. All providers must be licensed at reasonable rates. IP CTS calls will be compensated, on an interim basis, at the IP Relay compensation rate. Providers seeking to offer this service and be compensated from the Fund may seek certification from the Commission as an eligible provider. This is an interim measure and the Commission intends to revisit the cost recovery methodology for this service in the future, including jurisdictional separation of costs.
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