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NAD URGES ACTION FOR OPEN RELAY!
Want Full Access to Relay? Let FCC Know!
A News Release from the National Association of the Deaf
Release Date: April 6, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Anita B. Farb
Director, Outreach and Communications
National Association of the Deaf
Email: nadinfo@nad.org
Voice: 301-587-1788
TTY: 301-587-1789
FAX: 301-587-1791
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NAD URGES ACTION FOR OPEN RELAY!
Want Full Access to Relay? Let FCC Know!
Silver Spring, MD - The National Association of the Deaf has set up a webpage to help individuals contact the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and ask for full and open Relay access. Individuals can ask the FCC to end exclusion of deaf and hard of hearing people from full access to telecommunications by requiring open interoperability and compatibility across Relay providers. More information and action tools can be found at the
webpage,
www.nad.org/OpenRelayAction
The NAD has always taken a strong position in favor of open interoperability in communication systems-dating back to the issue of interoperability of text messaging systems.
At the 2004 NAD Conference in Kansas City, MO, delegates passed a conference priority that the NAD advocate for Video Relay Services (VRS) to become a mandated (required)
telecommunications services with quality assurances-including interoperability.
The NAD has already filed a petition asking the FCC to designate VRS as a mandatory service and to ensure that there is interoperability across Relay providers. The NAD has also asked the FCC to recognize and treat VRS as a functionally equivalent telecommunications service.
"Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people should be able to make and receive calls through any relay providers they want. It is unacceptable for FCC-regulated funds to support equipment, software and services that limit full telecommunications access," stated Kelby Brick, NAD Director of Law and Advocacy. "Relay services, whether it is Instant Messaging, Internet, TTY, or Video Relay, should be open to all individuals."
The NAD appreciates the fact that competing technologies allow companies to develop faster, better and more user-friendly equipment that brings deaf and hard of hearing consumers closer to true functional equivalency. Still, the NAD recognizes that the lack of 100% interoperability requires consumers to juggle different products/devices-each involving their own software and connectivity protocols-to access Relay providers.
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Want Full Access to Relay? Let FCC Know!
A News Release from the National Association of the Deaf
Release Date: April 6, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Anita B. Farb
Director, Outreach and Communications
National Association of the Deaf
Email: nadinfo@nad.org
Voice: 301-587-1788
TTY: 301-587-1789
FAX: 301-587-1791
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NAD URGES ACTION FOR OPEN RELAY!
Want Full Access to Relay? Let FCC Know!
Silver Spring, MD - The National Association of the Deaf has set up a webpage to help individuals contact the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and ask for full and open Relay access. Individuals can ask the FCC to end exclusion of deaf and hard of hearing people from full access to telecommunications by requiring open interoperability and compatibility across Relay providers. More information and action tools can be found at the
webpage,
www.nad.org/OpenRelayAction
The NAD has always taken a strong position in favor of open interoperability in communication systems-dating back to the issue of interoperability of text messaging systems.
At the 2004 NAD Conference in Kansas City, MO, delegates passed a conference priority that the NAD advocate for Video Relay Services (VRS) to become a mandated (required)
telecommunications services with quality assurances-including interoperability.
The NAD has already filed a petition asking the FCC to designate VRS as a mandatory service and to ensure that there is interoperability across Relay providers. The NAD has also asked the FCC to recognize and treat VRS as a functionally equivalent telecommunications service.
"Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people should be able to make and receive calls through any relay providers they want. It is unacceptable for FCC-regulated funds to support equipment, software and services that limit full telecommunications access," stated Kelby Brick, NAD Director of Law and Advocacy. "Relay services, whether it is Instant Messaging, Internet, TTY, or Video Relay, should be open to all individuals."
The NAD appreciates the fact that competing technologies allow companies to develop faster, better and more user-friendly equipment that brings deaf and hard of hearing consumers closer to true functional equivalency. Still, the NAD recognizes that the lack of 100% interoperability requires consumers to juggle different products/devices-each involving their own software and connectivity protocols-to access Relay providers.
###