New TRS Ruling - On July 28, 2005 the FCC released an order disallowing free or heavily discounted long distance relay service as an improper incentive to make relay calls. There are two exceptions: 1) the ruling does not apply to intrastate long distance service (it only applies to long distance calls between the states) and 2) the ruling does not apply to discounts designed to achieve functional equivalency in rates (i.e., discounts designed to equalize the cost of the call because TTY and TRS calls take longer). The ruling also does not apply to IP or VRS calls.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES AND SPEECH-TO-SPEECH SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HEARING AND SPEECH DISABILITIES. Ordered TRS providers offering TRS consumers financial incentives relating to free or discount long distance service ineligible for compensation from the Interstate TRS Fund. (Dkt No. 03-123). Action by: Acting Chief, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau. Adopted: 07/27/2005 by ORDER.
(DA No. 05-2066). CGB
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-2066A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-2066A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-2066A1.txt>
This page last updated:August 2, 2005

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