Regulatory

July 2, 2012 –The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission launched the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program on July 1, 2012. The goal of the program is to ensure that individuals who are deaf-blind will receive the specialized customer premises equipment needed to effectively access telecommunications services, Internet services, and advanced communications services.

June 22, 2012 –The FCC has issued a Consumer Guide outlining the rules “adopted to implement the video description provisions of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA),” which will become effective July 1, 2012.  The guide highlights that at least fifty hours of video-described prime time and/or children’s programming is required for the following networks:

06.13.2012 – The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Television Data Systems Subcommittee has formed a new working group to examine the effects of Internet-delivered closed captioning in relation to recent FCC regulations.  In January of 2012, the FCC issued a Report and Order (R&O) implementing rules governing closed captioning for previously televised video programming delivered using Internet protocol (IP).

05.23.12 – The FCC has begun accepting nominations for the Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility (Chairman’s AAA).  The awards are “designed to recognize the efforts of individuals, organizations, academics, companies and government agencies to make communication tools easier to use and more accessible to people with disabilities, and to encourage technological innovation and accessibility in communications-related areas.” Nominations are due by July 31, 2012 and can be made for various categories including education, deaf-blind solutions, video programming device solutions, ge

05.31.2012 – The Wireless RERC filed comments with the Department of Commerce “In the Matter of Computer and Internet Use Supplement to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey” [FR Doc. 2012-8103].