FCC Petitions; Emergency Preparedness; Section 255 Complaint

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FCC Petitions; Emergency Preparedness; Section 255 Complaint

To: Consumer Contact List
From: Karen Peltz Strauss, RERC-TA
Re: Consumer Contact List - Miscellaneous items
Date: October 18, 2004

1. Petitions for Reconsideration of FCC's June 2004 Report and Order on Relay Services: Three entities, the National VRS Coalition, CSD, and Hands On VRS, have filed petitions asking the FCC to reconsider portions of the Order that it released on relay services last June. Among other things, the petitions ask the Commission to reconsider its decisions denying compensation for VRS between ASL users and Spanish speaking people, denying compensation for research and development costs associated with finding solutions to handle emergency calls over VRS, and extending the answer speed waiver until 2006. Comments on the petitions are due on November 15, 2004, and reply comments are due on November 30, 2004. The PN is attached.

Released: 10/15/2004. CSD, HANDS ON VIDEO RELAY SERVICE, INC.,
NATIONAL VIDEO RELAY SERVICE COALITION, AND HAMILTON RELAY, INC. FILE PETITIONS FOR RECONSIDERATION OF TRS REQUIREMENTS FROM THE REPORT AND ORDER, ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION AND FNPRM, FCC 04-137. (DA No. 04-3266). (Dkt No 90-571 98-67) Pleading Cycle
Established. Comments Due: 11/15/2004. Reply Comments Due: 11/30/2004.
CGB. Contact: Dana Jackson at (202) 418-2247, TTY: (202) 418-7898,
Email: Dana.Jackson@fcc.gov
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3266A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3266A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3266A1.txt>

2. Emergency Preparedness: On September 20, 2004, the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities at the Department of Homeland Security held its first meeting. The attached press release describes the event, which brought together representatives of several federal agencies. Among other things, the FCC discussed its plans for helping relay centers to obtain priority for restoring their facilities in the event of an emergency. In addition, the FCC has released a new rulemaking to revamp its emergency alert system, which will include new rules affecting people with disabilities. The news release is attached.

FCC PARTICIPATES IN COUNCIL ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. News Release. News Media Contact: Rosemary Kimball
at (202) 418-0511, e-mail: Rosemary.Kimball@fcc.gov CGB
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-252100A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-252100A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-252100A1.txt>

3. Digital Television: FCC Chairman Powell has announced a new public education initiative by the FCC to get more people to buy DTVs (See URLs below for news release). There have been a number of problems reported regarding the lack of DTV captioning and the failure of some television equipment to display what captioning does exist. If you are experiencing problems with either of these, you can report complaints to the FCC: fccinfo@fcc.gov with a copy to Jenifer.Simpson@fcc.gov.

CHAIRMAN POWELL ANNOUNCES MAJOR DTV CONSUMER EDUCATION INITIATIVE "DTV- GET IT!". News Release. News Media Contact: Rebecca Fisher at (202) 418-2359 or David Fiske at (202) 418-0513 CGB , MB
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-252851A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-252851A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-252851A1.txt>
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4. Petition for Captioning Exemption Withdrawn: On September 15, 2004, the FCC released a public notice announcing that on September 10, 2004, Lamb and Lion Ministries withdrew its petition for an exemption from the FCC's closed captioning rules.

Released: 09/15/2004. PETITION FOR EXEMPTION FROM COMMISSION'S CLOSED
CAPTIONING RULES WITHDRAWN CSR 6281. (DA No. 04-2978). MB. Contact:
Sonia Greenaway-Mickle or Steve Garner at (202) 418-7200, TTY: (202) 418-7172
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2978A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2978A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2978A1.txt>

5. Broadband Report: The FCC has released its 4th report on the availability of broadband and other advanced telecommunications capabilities in America. This affects the extent to which people with disabilities have access to the technologies needed to use redundant formats (video, text, and voice) to obtain essential information.

6. Two more entities have requested exemptions from the closed captioning rules - The notices are contained below:

Released: 09/03/2004. REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION FROM COMMISSION'S CLOSED CAPTIONING RULES. (DA No. 04-2863) Victory Videos Ministries. CSR 6373. MB. Contact: Sonia Greenaway-Mickle or Steve Garner at (202) 418-7200, TTY: (202) 418-7172
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2863A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2863A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2863A1.txt>

Released: 09/03/2004. REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION FROM COMMISSION'S CLOSED CAPTIONING RULES. (DA No. 04-2862) Survivors of Assault Recovery. CSR 6358. MB. Contact: Sonia Greenaway-Mickle or Steve Garner at (202) 418-7200, TTY:(202) 418-7172
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2862A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2862A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2862A1.txt>

7.Section 255 Formal Complaint: The formal complaint brought by Dr. Bonnie O'Day against Verizon Wireless, for failure to make a cellular phone that is accessible to blind people, has now been formally closed. Phones with audio output are now on the market by both Verizon and Cingular.

DR. BONNIE O'DAY V. CELLCO PARTNERSHIP D/B/A VERIZON WIRELESS.
Granted the Joint Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice. Action by: Deputy
Chief, Telecommunications Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau.
Adopted: 09/02/2004 by ORDER. (DA No. 04-2870). EB
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2870A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2870A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-2870A1.txt>

This page last updated:April 20, 2005

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