Melissa123

FCC announced they plan reduce amount money they pay to VRS like sorenson and purple. If happen FCC reduce pay then possible no more VRS!!! Please tell FCC you want keep VRS, tell FCC how important VRS to your life and allow communication with hearing people and other deaf friends. Most deaf finish throw away old tty so if no VRS then how communicate?


Here how you can tell FCC keep VRS

Step 1. Go to ECFS Express Upload Form

Step 2. . Complete the form with your personal information (all fields with an asterisk are required).

Step 3. Enter your comments.

Step 4. Select the “Continue” button.

Step 5. You will be presented with a confirmation page to review your comment before submitting comment. Select the “Confirm” button and your comment will be submitted



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!KEEP VRS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deafness

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diehardbiker

Deadline for FCC comments is May 14th. If we do not do anything, we can kiss VRS industry goodbye by end of this year, and refer back to TTY.

Many of you think it would affect only major VRS company, this would be grave mistake because it can affect all VRS companies because once the major VRS company goes down, it will cause other VRS companies go down too.

Check in ED Telcom alert, the owner of ConvoRelay is very concern too Check his website Ed’s Telecom Alert

__________________
J-MAC's quote: "People who try and fail are more superior than people who don't try at all"

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Avatar picture is Cape Hatteras light house in OBX.

yizuman

I wrote an email to FCC and shared my concerns.

How to Contact the Federal Communications Commission

Yiz

__________________

Chevy57

I got statement from Bonnie Bass, MarshExecutive Staff Interpreter Sorenson Communications

Bonnie's Blog

Please sign up petition to FCC. Submit a Filing

Calvin

Mod note:

Thread moved to proper place.

Chevy57

See the video of Ron Burdett, Sorenson Communications Vice President of Community Relations

FCC Threatens Future of Video Relay Service!

Back to TTY???

SwooshOU

Please submit your comments to the FCC. I am a CODA and use Sorenson to communicate with my father. I'd hate to go back to TTY.

Please contact the FCC!

Dennis

All this "bankruptcy" talk is patently false. All the major VRS companies today are enjoying massive profits at the current rates. None of them, of course, will go publicly on record stating that.

This rate change is using data that was submitted to the FCC and gives them a "reasonable rate of return" for providers who keep their costs down. Instead of wildly spending our government's money, let's rein in the corruption and graft that's going on in the VRS industry. The only way to do that is correcting the VRS rate - and these rates are the right rates.

Chevy57

Right

diehardbiker

Have you check the video on videcenter on your VP-200 from Vice president of public relations? If not, wait and you will get one, and you will drop your jaw.

__________________
J-MAC's quote: "People who try and fail are more superior than people who don't try at all"

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Avatar picture is Cape Hatteras light house in OBX.

diehardbiker

True? So you say that Vlog is more true than whats shown on FCC Threatens Future of Video Relay Service! right now

===============================================
Shown on SorensonVRS webpage
VRS THREATENED BY FCC PROPOSAL
Imagine a future without Sorenson VRS (SVRS) and without a videophone. The future of Sorenson VRS is in the hands of deaf and hard-of-hearing users like you. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a rate for VRS that would be the end of SVRS as we know it today.

It is not an exaggeration to say that under the proposed new FCC rate, most VRS providers would lose money. If these rates go into effect, Sorenson VRS will go bankrupt.

What does this mean to you?

Even if Sorenson were able to remain in business, SVRS services will change.

•Outreach programs to bring VRS to more deaf individuals will end.
•Hold times which now average less than 10 seconds will increase. You'll need to wait to make VRS calls.
•Interpreter training programs will decline which will lead to a shortage of qualified interpreters for VRS and local deaf communities.
•Communication technology advancement will stop.
The deaf community must join together to let the FCC know the importance of VRS. If VRS as we know it today is to be maintained and improved, it is critical that the reimbursement rate for VRS providers be fair.

The VRS rate must be set to encourage VRS providers to fund:

•Outreach programs to inform more deaf individuals about VRS;
•Interpreter training programs so that there will be an adequate number of qualified interpreters for VRS and the local deaf communities; and
•New technology to improve VRS.
Tell the FCC to support the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and not to destroy its successes. The FCC must set a fair rate to meet the goal of functional equivalency. The only way to stop this is to let the FCC know how disastrous its proposal for a dramatic rate cut will be for VRS.
=================================

Now you decide which to believe Public VLOG that has nothing to do with VRS and the real SorensonVRS webpage?

__________________
J-MAC's quote: "People who try and fail are more superior than people who don't try at all"

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Avatar picture is Cape Hatteras light house in OBX.

SwooshOU

The proposed "reasonable rate of return" is nearly HALF the rate it currently is.

While some VRS companies may be able to survive, it will be at the cost of research and development and firing interpreters. That means no new Videophone technology and long hold times.

Sorenson has said that it would go bankrupt if the proposed rate is accepted.

If yours is the attitude that many Deaf people have towards the FCC's proposed rate, I think you will be in for a rude awakening on July 1st.

Chevy57

Someone from Sorenson Facebook says:
If FCC cut rate is approved, we are sending comments to Senators, Congressman and Governors from your state will make the chances better of us to save the funding needed to provide this service.

Excedio

You must work for the FCC. ;-)

radioman

ok - since diehard biker works for sorenson, chevy57 for purple, how about providing some hard facts ? so far we have a copy and paste info from facebook about cost. right now VRS is getting 6 bucks a min to less then 4 bucks and min. If vrs has 1 call 24 hrs around clock: thats 6 bucks a min $360 bucks an hour for $8640 a day. now multiply that by how many calls a day? If FCC reduce the rate, it becomes $5601 bucks for 24 hours for one call 24hours a day times how many calls?

This tells you they are used to getting thousands of dollars a day, and now they could lose 3k for each 24hrs times how many calls for VRS calls .Granted my numbers are not reality as calls has peaks and dips over 24 hrs during week. Its just a drawing a picture and concept of how this is scaring the VRS companies. They have gotten used to spending all the money they make, havent made any real cuts, only providing small updates in features for making money so it looks like progress over time instead all at once, with recent VRS fraud in history books- I can understand FCC feelings.

However, looking at the big picture- it can be a scary future with no VRS if this is the real picture VRS's is painting for us.


SO whats real, and whats not. The private VRS havent showed the percentage of money actually spent on what ?!

SwooshOU

FCC ONLY reimburses for interpreted minutes. So, yes, VRS companies currently get $6 per interpreted minute. But remember, VRS companies have to PAY their interpreters anywhere form $20 to $50 per hour.

Not only that, but the FCC does NOT reimburse for:
-the costs to build thousands and thousands of videophones AND give them away... FOR FREE
-call center monthly lease
-call center electric bill
-internet infrastructure for all the VPs to communicate with one another
-research and development for NEW technology in the future
-professional development for interpreters to help them to get better and better
-salary for administration and management to run a company

That means VRS providers will have to cut somewhere. If VRS providers cut interpreters to save money, then Deaf people will have to hold a long time to connect to an interpreter.

If VRS providers stop building videophones, that means Deaf people who don't yet have videophones can't get them.

If VRS providers stop giving videophones away for free, that means Deaf people will have to buy a videophone.

If VRS providers stop developing new technology, that means no future portable, cellular, high definition VP technology.

If VRS providers can't afford to keep their internet infrastructure up and running, they will have to charge Deaf people a monthly fee to keep it running.

If VRS providers can't provide administrative and management salaries at competitive rates, then nobody will want to run the company and they WILL close down.

Also, if hold times exceed FCC regulations, VRS companies will NOT get reimbursed. So only a limited number of Deaf people will be able to use or have VPs. That means more and more Deaf will have to use TTY or IPRelay to talk through the phone.

I think this is a pretty big deal.

diehardbiker

You are right, I am proud to work for Sorenson Communications, and I love my job. I do not have any desire looking for another job, and determined that this (Sorenson Communications) is my last employer. I do not like hearing that I may get pink slip as of July 1st, but I have heard already.

I wish I can share the information about financial, the problem is that I am not working in financial department. Because of that, I have no idea what their expenses are. HOWEVER, from my experience working with companies other than Sorenson. The most expensive part of operation is Research and Development, Liablity and medial Insurance, attorney service, and Employee payroll. I knew running a corporation is not cheap.

DHB

__________________
J-MAC's quote: "People who try and fail are more superior than people who don't try at all"

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Avatar picture is Cape Hatteras light house in OBX.

SwooshOU

Powerful video by Convo Relay.

SwooshOU

One other important point.

Many companies besides Sorenson rely on Sorenson's VP-200 to make VRS calls. Basically any VRS company can be called through the VP-200. However, if Sorenson were to go bankrupt, the VP-200 would not work for any other VRS company. Also, VP to VP would not work either.

So, it doesn't just affect VRS, it affects Deaf VP to Deaf.

zerodog

I want to add about the VRS...

About Close... yes it will close if we do NOTHING... It just going to impact everything for example...

We have several Deaf people who own business that will impact their business and less client due hold on too long that lose interesting in their business.

We have professional Deaf employee for companies that would lead and effective their perform due the hold on call waiting for interpreter.

What worse.... no replace VP...

I felt that FCC action is did discriminated due ingorned us and they forgotten themselve they use VRS too. They seem forgot when the VRS first start and the call was little longer wait until now become effective response and no hold time longer.

About CLOSE or VRS out of this system; only....

Sorenson is 85% that similar as like Sorenson is 2012. Once the Sorenson is down and then what we will do? We go to another VRS like crazy... The other VRS doesn't prepare to find interpreter quality, internet to addition ip address for each device and so on. It may take lot of time and not met FCC expection and again. The water will spourt to rest VRS from Sorenson's customer... It is like all VRS are getting stomp by our feet and VRS become DUST...

Think again...

VRS use one word is thousand words in love while TTY is not going solution... even you have partner who is hearing may have marriage or relationship problem due misunderstanding or barrier communication in way. What about your kids? What about your grandkids?

In future kids who grow into adult hood; they wouldn't have advantage that technology while they are look for job after finish school/college.

Final comment...

if the FCC done that... it will repeat to Purple and ZVRS force into bank'pty expect PURPLE is BIG Issue due owe FCC which made worse for this USA.

Only... if we don't do anything and then VRS done... Think again those Deaf people who work with VRS and who employee a job for than 5 years as SSDI and unemployee. I am sure those Deaf people doesn't want depend on government money... They are proud of what they done for everyone to keep barrier free...


STAY VRS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

__________________
Life is giving to us, we earn it by giving it. Let the dead have the immortality of fame, but the living the immortality of love - mean next child earn the life from me, because I love my child that mean lot to me will give to next little person earn the immortality of love from families.

diehardbiker

Do something about this, there are greater chance that FCC hears and realizes the importances of VRS to you. The better chance VRS will survive so is my job.

---OR---

Do nothing, FCC heard nothing assumes that you are happy, so whats point of keeping rate? Cut it! BAM VRS went South. Reaction could be devasated... Want change mind? Wait til next year to appeal but hey! Its too late.


Which one is best approach? You decide, and I hope you the Deaf community makes our ASL (As if voice) HEARD!

__________________
J-MAC's quote: "People who try and fail are more superior than people who don't try at all"

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Avatar picture is Cape Hatteras light house in OBX.

Dennis

VRS is not a welfare program for employing deaf people. If Sorenson, Purple, CSDVRS, SprintVRS, ConvoVRS, whomever, decide their profits will suffer if they don't cut back on employees with this new rate, then that is their decision. They can simply choose to have less profit. So don't go telling us that it's the FCC's fault if those companies lay off people. The FCC has seen their costs and knows exactly how much profit these companies are making. Millions!

There will still be advances in accessible technology and interpreters will still find jobs. Sorenson will still give away free VPs because that's how they make their money. Communities may actually be able to get interpreters for community usage again.

The only people who benefit from having deaf community members in fear of the proposed rate reductions are the VRS companies. Everyone else loses. So don't buy into the VRS companies' spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt.

souggy

Wirelessly posted

Wouldn't it be cheaper to keep the Deaf employed within the VRS industry than to have them fall back on SSI/SSDI?

Just saying...

__________________
"It is my task to convince you not to turn away because you don’t understand it." - Richard Freynman

Dennis

Are you saying that people like diehardbiker would be on SSI if they weren't working for Sorenson? That sounds kind of insulting. I would've thought people would have skills to do other jobs that are out there. Technical and teaching skills are quite transferable. VRS is just one tiny industry out of bazillions.

That also assumes that these certified VRS companies (which are all run by hearing people) aren't pocketing all the profit in the first place! So the company employs a small number of deaf people... and fleeces the government for millions? Is that really better than the alternatives that are out there for deaf people? Deaf people only deserve a token job in exchange for hearing people being richer?

SwooshOU

I wish I was as optimistic as you.

Chevy57

Alright, Purple no longer to use all independent contractors as mine last few month ago. They told them to look for other jobs. I had worked at part time job for Purple. I have other full-time job. No funds for deaf employees. FCC reimburses for VRS minutes only.

Chevy57

The truth about VRS take a look at this information

Kevin Martin, Commissioner and Chairman of the FCC statement last November 2008:
Read more: Kevin Martins Abuse Of Power - The Tech Observer - Portfolio.com

http://energycommerce.house.gov/imag...t%20081209.pdf

SwooshOU

Official response from Sorenson Consumer Policy Board, for VRS consumers.

Ed’s Telecom Alert Allegations Against FCC Chair Martin

We will see how happy Deaf people will be to pay for videophones and a monthly VRS services in order to do business and talk to friends and family over the phone.

Chevy57

I agree with SwooshOU. Deaf people in some countries have paid for VRS services. No more free videophones. Hearing relatives and friends who know ASL and no needing to use VRS. They want to buy Sorenson VP but Sorenson refuse to sell. B...S to them.

SwooshOU

The FCC expects Sorenson to do business for $3.89 for every minute interpreted.

At that rate, if I talk to my Deaf dad for 5 minutes, the conversation will cost $19.45. Nearly $20 for a 5 minute conversation! That's something he can't afford.