Advanced Communications Services (ACS)

January 2014 — Following a petition filed by the Coalition of E-Reader Manufacturers, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a class waiver for basic e-readers from section 716, part 14 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA).  Part 14 of the FCC’s rules that require advanced communications services (ACS) and equipment be accessible to people with disabilities. The waiver is for a narrow class of e-readers with the following features:

November 2013 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Public Notice [DA 13-2177] highlighting the new procedures for filing complaints regarding the accessibility of “advanced communications services and equipment, Internet browsers built into mobile phones, and telecommunications services and equipment.”  The new procedures follow two recent CVAA mandates which require advanced communications systems and equipment and internet browsers on mobile phones to be accessible to people with disabilities.

August 2013 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is requesting comment on a petition, filed by the Coalition of E-Reader Manufacturers, for a class waiver of section 716, part 14 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA).  Part 14 of the FCC’s rules that require advanced communications services (ACS) and equipment be accessible to people with disabilities.

October 15, 2012—In October, petitions filed by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) were addressed by the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission [CG Docket No. 10-213].