Markey, AT&T move on telecom disability issues

[Ray T. Mahorney]

[LLFCC (Lasar's Letter on the FCC) is an independent newsblog that offers 
information and analysis about the Federal Communications Commission and 
other media regulatory agencies on a procedure by procedure basis. LLFCC is 
not affiliated with any company, think tank, institute, or foundation.]

Markey, AT&T move on telecom disability issues

by Matthew Lasar
Lazar'sLetterOnTheFCC [LLFCC]

Dec 31 2007 - 11:58am

http://www.lasarletter.net/drupal/node/535


Massachusetts Representative Edward Markey has introduced legislation into 
the House of Representatives that would dramatically overhaul the nation's 
telecom disability laws, extending them to new Internet based 
communications devices. Meanwhile AT&T has filed a statement with the 
Federal Communications Commission extolling its services to customers with 
disabilities, calling itself an "industry leader" in the field.

On December 21st, Markey released a draft bill that would require cell 
phone manufacturers to significantly upgrade their technologies, making 
them far more accessible to people with hearing, speech, and sight limitations.

Markey's "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act" 
would:

     * require closed captioning on video programming transmitted by cell 
phone devices
     * require the FCC to initiate a proceeding to "identify methods to 
render on-screen-displayed text in a manner accessible to individuals who 
are blind or visually-impaired," including text instructions and texting 
messages
     * require manufacturers to bolster current phone/video technologies to 
allow people with hearing/voice disabilities to communicate with each 
other, not just with people without such disabilities
     * clarify the legal relationship between the Communications Act and 
the Americans with Disabilities Act, ensuring that both laws use the same 
definition of "disability"

Meanwhile, on the same day that Markey announced his new bill, AT&T 
submitted its annual report to the Commission on the corporation's progress 
in making its services more accessible, fulfilling one of the requirements 
it agreed to in December of 2006 when the FCC approved its merger with Bell 
South.

AT&T's statement says that in 2006 the firm:

     * handled 2.1 million Internet Relay calls, in which one person sends 
live text to a Communications Assistant (CA), who then relays the message 
to the designated receiver
     * completed 33,000 Video Relay calls, in which a customer 
communications to the CA via video conferencing. The CA then transmits the 
message to the second party
     * facilitated 5.5 million Telecommunication Relay Service calls, which 
use non-Internet based text devices to access telephone system

The filing lists some of AT&T's recent charitable contributions in this 
area, including:

     * $50,000 contributed to the National Disability Institute for its 
2008 Real Economic Impact Tour, which provides tax consultation services to 
people with disabilities
     * $25,000 given in 2007 to the American Foundation for the Blind in 
Dallas for a study of inexpensive speech and screen enlargement 
technologies that may help adults with impaired vision to access the Internet
     * $200,000 in 2007 to Ford's Theater in Washington, DC, to help the 
historic venue improve the accessibility of its lobby
     * $62,500 to Goodwill Industries of Dallas for a Cyber Cafe for people 
with disabilities and others without home Internet access

AT&T's statement also says that it is doing research on a remote control 
device activated by voice.