FCC Seeks Comment on a Petition to Require a Communications Assistant Option for all IP CTS Calls

Written By Emily Guiddy

Comments due: September 3, 2024

Reply Comments due: September 16, 2024

 

On August 1, 2024, the FCC released a Public Notice seeking comment on a Petition for Rulemaking filed by TDIforAccess, Inc. (TDI), the National Association of the  Deaf (NAD), and the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) (Accessibility Organizations). 

 

The Accessibility Organization’s Petition asks that the Commission initiates rulemaking to:

  1. Require providers of Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Services (IP CTS) that rely on automated speech recognition (ASR) technologies to provide consumers with the option to switch to a communications assistant (CA) at any point during an IP CTS call;

  2. Refrain from certifying ASR-only IP CTS providers pending the completion of the requested rulemaking proceeding; and

  3. Complete its open proceeding to establish clear, technology-neutral performance goals and metrics for IP CTS.

 

Interested parties may file comments by accessing the Electronic Comment Filing System at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings.  All filings must reference CG Docket Nos. 13-24 and 03-123 and RM-11987.  People with disabilities who need assistance to file comments online may request assistance by email to FCC504@fcc.gov. 

  

Link to the Public Notice:

https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-seeks-comment-accessibility-organizations-ip-cts-petition

 

Link to the Petition of the Accessibility Organizations:

https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10531086287963/1

 

For general information about IP CTS, visit https://www.fcc.gov/ipcts.  For specific questions about this Public Notice, please contact Ross Slutsky, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, by email at Ross.Slutsky@fcc.gov.  Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).

Emily Guiddy
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