FCC Adopts New Compensation Plan for Video Relay Service

On September 28, 2023, the FCC released a new compensation plan for the provision of Video Relay Service (VRS), a form of Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS).  By strengthening support for the provision of VRS, the FCC ensures access by VRS users to qualified video interpreters and encourages innovation and enhanced service quality in VRS.  With several key changes in the VRS compensation plan, VRS providers will have the resources to strengthen VRS interpreting and find functionally equivalent solutions for video conferencing, emergency calling, and other technologically challenging uses of VRS.

The FCC adopted a five-year compensation plan with annual adjustments for inflation.  For the first year, the compensation formula for VRS providers handling more than 1 million VRS minutes per month is:  (1) $6.27 per minute for the first 1 million minutes; and (2) $3.92 per minute for all additional monthly minutes.  For VRS providers handling 1 million or fewer VRS minutes per month, the compensation formula is $7.77 per minute for all minutes.  For the provision of Video-Text Service, a specialized form of VRS used by certain VRS users who are deafblind, an additional compensation amount of $0.19 per minute is adopted.

In the accompanying Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC seeks comment on whether and under what circumstances to provide compensation for other types of specialized services, such as the use of Certified Deaf Interpreters, skills-based interpreting, or interpreting through other (non-ASL) methods of communications.  The FCC also seeks comment on any rule changes needed to facilitate the provision of Video-Text Service and other forms of specialized services. The FCC will release a public notice to announce the comment dates.

Link to VRS Compensation Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:

https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-increases-video-relay-service-support-updates-compensation-plan-0

For general information about VRS, visit. https://www.fcc.gov/vrs.  For further information about this item, please contact Michael Scott, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at (202) 418-1264 or Michael.Scott@fcc.gov.  Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432‐2275.