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VRS Rates – NAD Update
By advocacy | June 8, 2007
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) needs to know that relay services are important to you. Relay services include TTY relay, Speech-to-Speech, IP Relay, and Video Relay Service (VRS).
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that relay services be functionally equivalent to voice telephone service. The FCC must provide the necessary funding to ensure that relay services are functionally equivalent to voice telephone services.
The NAD appreciates the hundreds of consumers who have sent e-mail messages, letters, and postcards to the FCC, advocating for FCC support of VRS.
Consumers may also file comments electronically with the FCC. Click on this link to access and fill out the FCC electronic short comment form: http://www.nad.org/FCCRelayLink
Sample Comment –
Relay services are very important to me. Relay services connect people who use telephones with people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have a speech disability, who use other types of telecommunications devices (for example, TTYs, computers, videophones, captioned telephones, and mobile wireless devices). With relay services, I can make and receive calls when I am home, at work, and on the road. I use relay services when I call to make appointments, buy things, chat with family and friends, and take care of business every day.
I support the comments filed by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI), Association of Late-Deafened Adults, Inc. (ALDA), Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network (DHHCAN), California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCASDHH) and Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).
The FCC needs to expand the role of Telecommunications Relay Service Fund Advisory Council in the rate setting process. Representatives of the deaf and hard of hearing community are part of the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council needs access to information about relay service costs and rates to study the issue and make a recommendation, before the FCC takes action.Â
When the FCC sets new rates for relay services, those rates should pay relay service providers fairly and cover all reasonable expenses, including outreach, marketing, research, and development. Rates set too low do not serve the deaf and hard of hearing community or the hearing public. Rates set too low will reduce the visibility, reliability, and availability of existing and future relay services.
Please support relay services. Set rates that will make relay services functionally equivalent to voice telephone service.
Sincerely,
Topics: General |
June 8th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
We know this VRS service is important to us. Before I can do something, I want to hear what were FCC’s reasons first.
Aidan Mack
June 8th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Aidan — The FCC has not yet decided what the VRS rate will be for 2007-2008. Rates have been proposed, but the FCC has not decided. Telling the FCC that VRS is important (and that consumers like you are watching the FCC) may help convince the FCC to set rates high enough to make sure consumers get what they need and want (widespread high quality VRS).
Rosaline
June 9th, 2007 at 1:52 am
Hi Rosaline,
Thank you for replying back to me. I appreicate your time.
Can I see the rates that have been proposed please? I need information to see what you guys had been talking about and why you are being concerned about funding cuts.
Thank you,
Aidan
June 9th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Hi Aidan –
Amy’s recent post about rates has a lot of information and, I believe, also points to NECA’s website. The most recent NECA proposal, for 2007-2008 rates, can be found at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-1978A1.pdf
Like you, we also want more information (such as what the actual costs are for relay services and related activities), which is why we are advocating for more transparency in this rate setting process. It is virtually impossible to express an informed opinion about what the actual rates should be, without more information. In the meantime, we are advocating for rates that are fair and cover all reasonable expenses, including reasonable expenses for outreach, marketing, research, and development. We need rates that will ensure available, reliable, high quality relay services that are as functionally equivalent to voice telephone services as possible.
I hope you will join us in that effort by sending your message to the FCC. Tell the FCC what you think. Please.
Rosaline
June 10th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
HWLLO I LOVE VRS THEY HELP US TO GET TO DR. AND MANY THING WE NEED KEEP THEM THANK YOU FROM MAYNARD
June 10th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Hello,
oh no dont cut vrs, I must have vrs because i am deaf and easy to speak on videotv hope u stay on thank you Linda Maves
June 10th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
I really enjoy to have video relay services.It helps us call Doctor, Family and easy to communication with video relay service with anything.
From Janice
June 10th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
I really enjoy to have video relay services.It helps us call Doctor, Family and easy to communication with video relay service with anything so there will be no misunderstanding if we dont use VP.
June 10th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
DON’T YOU DARE TO CUT OFF, WE ALL ENJOYING USING VRS THAT WE CAN COMMUCATION WITH DR’S, FAMILY IN ANY WHERE , GET CALLS FROM HOSPITAL WITH FAMILY, GET CAllS FROM DRS, GET CALLS FROM FAMILY ABOUT DEATH IN FAMILY AND SO FORTH SO DON’T YOU DARE TO CUT OFF, LOOK AT THE HEARING PEOPLE AND DEAFIES ARE EQUAL INTO 1. THANX.
MARVENE MICHAEL-SANDERSON
June 11th, 2007 at 12:38 am
June 10,2007 please dont cut vrs because sorensonvrs are very important to us forever. we love vrs than tdd. we really dont want to use tty/tdd in the furture. we puzzled that fcc mailed us and we read and thought that support vrs after we signed name to mail to fcc until we just found out that we are misunderstood what fcc said by mail. we dont support to fcc. we sure really support sorensonvrs period. thank you, Linda Weaver
June 11th, 2007 at 2:33 am
Please don’t cut VRS rates. The VRS is very important to me that I can communicate to a lawyer, a doctor , a pharmacy and even, my hearing sisters and cousins. I believe the VRS is my best friend that I could feel comfortable to communicate to VRS telling them for me instead of TTY that I easily misunderstand. VRS is a real blessing what I could have.. even, call 911 for emergency. Perfect!!
Please don’t cut the VRS rate, please
Janelle
June 11th, 2007 at 2:58 am
I really need to use VRS because VRS has provide spanish translate thru with ASL which that ip-relay and TDD does not provide. It is for my job reason as I need to call to schedule with spanish families for their Shared Reading Project visits with me.
Does not want to be frustrated if VRS is cut. But, I also really need VRS for English clients of mine from work and also speak with any business people.
Please dont cut the VRS..
Thank you,
Renee
June 11th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Please don’t cut VRS rates. The VRS is very important to me that I can communicate to a lawyer, a doctor , a pharmacy and even, I believe the VRS is my best friend that I could feel comfortable to communicate to VRS telling them for me instead of TTY that I easily misunderstand. VRS is a real blessing what I could have.. even, call 911 for emergency. Perfect!!
Please don’t cut the VRS rate, please
Thank you
Teresa Burnette
June 15th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Fatema said on June 15th, 2007
What would your life be like if you couldn’t use a phone and didn’t know the language of most of the people around you? I’m an intelligent deaf adult, but without VRS my life would be very hard. Not all places have TDD and many people don’t know how to use TDD.
I’ve used VRS to find work. Right now I’m working part-time but want to find fulltime work. VRS enables me to communicate with many different employers and explain how a deaf person can be very effective and valuable to their company.
American Sign Language has a different grammatical structure than English. Without VRS, it’s difficult to explain my needs when communicating with businesses. For example, I have a Blackberry from Sprint. It wasn’t working properly and I needed to be able to explain what was wrong. Businesses aren’t very patient and are much more willing to help when the communication is clear. Because of VRS, my problem was solved.
I still live with my mother. She’s very happy that with VRS I can deal with my own life independently. I can arrange insurance, book hotels, get rental cars, and communicate with airports.
Financially it’s difficult being deaf because it’s hard to get work. I really appreciate the way I can talk to my relatives in Kenya through VRS.
I have hearing friends locally, I can’t communicate with without VRS because they don’t have TDDs.
VRS also helps me when I have a medical problem. I contact my doctor through VRS I can tell her what my symptoms are. That’s very important so that I get the right treatment right away.
Because of VRS I feel safer leaving my home because I know if I have an emergency I will be able to contact my family quickly from any place that has a phone. Most places don’t have TDDs.
For these reasons, I’m asking you to not to eliminate VRS. It’s vital to the survival of the deaf community
Fatema Taibjee
June 19th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
The VRS is useful to the deaf, BUT also to the hearing people who are the lawyer, dentist, doctor, or any business can communicate to the deaf via the VRS — BOTH deaf and hearing won’t be misunderstood each other.
Please do not cut the VRS rate.
Thank you…
Avis
June 24th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
hello do not cut back vrs we need them more clear understand cux not alot deaf ppl understand tty or ttd cux hard for them understand with vrs it more clear and more idea for them to not alot deaf have phone in there home cux they all use vp vrs our life will be easeyer to call dr order food or shcool or work anything so dont cut back vrs there are 10,000 deaf ppl will be very upset so dont cut back vrs The VRS is very important to us
July 8th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Hi
I can’t be bothered with anything these days, but shrug. I just don’t have anything to say recently.
Bye