On June 30, 2022, the FCC released an Order explaining that, with exceptions, the waivers of certain Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) rules, first adopted at the start of the COVID-19 national emergency, expired on June 30, 2022. The FCC noted that, in most instances, TRS providers have been able to come into compliance with the rules, and so the waivers are no longer needed. The Order included a limited extension, for 60 days, of the waiver of the prohibition on early call termination for web-based Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) offered by Hamilton Relay, Inc., due to an on-going technical problem that has not yet been resolved. In a separate order released on June 30, 2022, the FCC waived certain Video Relay Service (VRS) rules to help alleviate an existing shortage of VRS communications assistants.
Order on Expiration of TRS Waivers:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/pandemic-limited-waiver-trs-early-call-termination-rule-extended
Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-698A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-698A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-698A1.txt
General information about TRS is available at www.fcc.gov/trs, for VRS at www.fcc.gov/vrs, and for IP CTS at www.fcc.gov/ipcts. For further information, please contact William Wallace, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at (202) 418-2716, or William.Wallace@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 (videophone).