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You may go to NAD in Silver Spring, MD on June 26
The demonstration, to occur at the National Association of the Deaf headquarters in Silver Spring, MD, will exhibit a technology solution that is relatively inexpensive and quick to implement for any relay provider.
"Delivering 10-digit numbering is a critical step in providing relay users with functionally equivalent calling services and essential emergency calling (e911) access which together have thus far been denied to online relay users," said Kelby Brick, vice president of regulatory and strategic policy for GoAmerica, which provides relay services under the Hands On VRS(R), i711.com(R), and IP-Relay(TM) brands. "We applaud the FCC ruling which demonstrates a commitment to ensure that relay users will enjoy the same level of accessibility and safety that hearing users have had for years."
"A hundred years ago the U.S. concluded that telephone networks for hearing persons should be interconnected to ensure easy calling between telephone users, regardless of their chosen telephone network," said David Huntley, Senior Vice President of Customer Information Services at AT&T. "In the same way -- and for the first time -- relay providers are agreeing to interconnect their networks, effectively advancing the same convenience for deaf and hard of hearing callers."
About Ten-Digit Numbering
As described in yesterday's FCC ruling, ten-digit numbering offers to deaf and hard of hearing relay users a real, ten-digit number that can be dialed from any voice telephone to reach the intended relay user. These numbers are critical in providing users access to emergency calling services through 911. Real 10-digit numbers provided through this solution are accessible by callers from any relay provider that shares access to its user directory.
"Real ten-digit numbers eliminate the cumbersome dialing instructions and procedures required to make voice-to-video calls today," added Brick. "If a hearing person wants to call me on my videophone, he just dials my number the same as he would for any other call. The ten-digit number will work for everyone -- deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people -- and with any participating device or service."
Broad Consumer Support
"Every relay provider should take active steps to ensure that their services are fully accessible for the community they serve," said Nancy Bloch, executive director of the National Association of the Deaf. "I congratulate the AT&T and GoAmerica for moving ahead aggressively to establish this accessibility."
"It's encouraging to see group efforts to jumpstart the process to establish a telephone numbering system which will enable consumers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-disabled, to have access to enhanced 911 services," said Sheri Farinha-Mutti, CEO of the NorCal Center on Deafness. "Lives are at stake, and we can't afford to wait."
Ms. Bloch and Ms. Farinha-Mutti will each take part in the 10-digit number demonstration.
Demonstration, Pricing, and Availability
GoAmerica and AT&T will demonstrate the 10-digit numbering solution on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at the headquarters of the National Association of the Deaf at 8630 Fenton Street, Suite 820 in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The demo will show two 10-digit video calls. First, Sheri Farinha-Mutti will receive a call from a hearing caller through a 10-digit number. Then, Ms. Farinha-Mutti and Nancy Bloch, each a customer of a different VRS provider, will connect through a video-to-video call using a 10-digit number.
GoAmerica anticipates it will begin distributing local 10-digit numbers to relay users for free in July.
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