“This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement”
On August 24, 2016, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Sprint and Hamilton Relay temporary waivers of two mandatory minimum requirements that apply to the provision of traditional telecommunications relay service (TRS), speech-to-speech relay service (STS), and captioned telephone service (CTS).
The rules at issue require TRS providers to allow users to choose their preferred long distance carrier and to offer the same billing options (such as collect, calling card, and third party billing) traditionally offered by wireline telephone companies. As a result of changes in the long distance calling market, this order temporarily waives this requirement for providers of traditional TRS, STS, and CTS, to the extent that the providers do not assess a toll charge for long-distance calls. (Note: The FCC previously exempted these two requirements for Internet-based forms of TRS.)
Order:
For more information, contact: Eliot Greenwald, Disability Rights Office, CGB, at 202-418-2235 or Eliot.Greenwald@fcc.gov, or Robert Aldrich, CGB, at 202-418-0996 or Robert.Aldrich@fcc.gov. For those using videophones and fluent in American Sign Language, you may call the ASL Consumer Support Line at 844-432-2275.