Regulatory

FCC’s Media Bureau Seeks Comment on Video Descriptions

June 2013 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Media Bureau released a Public Notice [MB Docket No 11-43] seeking comment on the video description rules that were released on August 25, 2011 in accordance with the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010.  Currently, the rules require certain television broadcast stations and MVPDs “to provide video description for a portion of the video programming they offer to consumers.”  The Media Bureau seeks comment on the availability of video description, the extent to which video description is being provide

FCC Task Force Addresses Communications Transition

June 2013 — The Acting Director of the FCC Technology Transitions Policy Task Force, Sean Lev addressed the TIA Network Transition Event in June, concerning the “multifaceted communications transition” currently underway in the United States.  Specifically, Lev noted recent years have seen significant decreases in circuit switch telephone service complemented by increases in use of VOIP and wireless and the replacement of copper networks with fiber.

New International Treaty for Accessible Books

June 2013 — The World Intellectual Property Organization met at the end of June to finalize the terms of a treaty, which would legally allow for copyrighted material to be made accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. Currently, less than one percent of all the world’s books are available in accessible formats including Braille, large print or audio recordings.

Settlement on Hearing Aid Compatibility Rules for Wireless Phones

June 2013 — The Federal Communications Commission has settled with Airadigm Communications and TeleGuam Holdings following investigations into lack of compliance with hearing aid compatibility rules.

Using TTY Terminals as a Text-to-911 Solution

June 2013 — The Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a report entitled Proposed Procedures for the TTY as a text terminal in legacy 9-1-1 PSAPs without IP Connection, which outlines the use of TTY terminals as a text-to-911 interim solution for Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) without IP connectivity.  The report highlights that TTY may lack some capabilities often used in SMS text messages.  For example, TTY messages have a limited set of characters available for use, are unable to use both upper and lowercase let

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The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under grant number 90RE5007-01-00. The opinions contained in this website are those of the Wireless RERC and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or NIDILRR.