In a bid to bring the physically challenged people to the VoIP mainstream, the Federal Communications Commission is now considering TRS issues (Telecommunications Relay Services) very seriously.
The regulatory authority has ruled that the VoIP companies must contribute towards TRS Fund and offer 711 dialing facilities to customers for the TRS services.
TRS as we know is an operator service that allows physically challenged people such as Deaf, Hard-of –Hearing, Speech-Disabled and DeafBlined to place calls to standard telephone users through TDD, PC or any other telephone device.
The agency has extended the disability access requirements of Sections 225 and 255 of the Communications Act to VoIP services. At present, the provision is applicable for the traditional phone service providers.
The Section 225 of the Communications Act makes it mandatory for both the telecommunications device makers and service providers to ensure that such equipment or service is accessible to and usable by physically challenged persons.
