Hands-On VRS (HOVRS) -- through AOL Instant Messenger (IM) video chat.
(Plus, check out this video about the HOVRS Mac-only widget.)

LifeLinks VRS -- through SightSpeed.

With both options, you have to add VRS interpreter "addresses" to your buddy list/phone book. The process for doing that in LifeLinks is more time consuming.
For non-Mac lovers, IM and SightSpeed do support some non-iSight web cams and are fully compatible on PCs.

As for my second question (about calling IP-based videophones like the VP-100 or i2eye with an iSight), I have not found a way to do it, but I am holding out hope that it's possible.

**
1. Are any Video Relay Services available to those with the Apple iSight?
2. Can the iSight be used to place a call to an IP-based videophone?

It retails for $480 here, but I found it for less (though not by much) on Froogle.
If it's stable and compatible with the VP-100/200, there just might be a market for it among residential video telephone consumers.

1. Are any Video Relay Services available to those with the Apple iSight?

& ???

2. Can the iSight be used to place a call to an IP-based videophone?

& ???

I will post the answers when I find out! First one to solve this mystery for me has my total respect, and maybe a prize.

Minimum frames per second required for understanding sign language or lipreading:

Compression Analysis
ISDN …provide[s] 128 kilobits per second bandwidth. Since videoconferencing is bidirectional, 64 kilobits per second or 8,000 kilobytes per second are available for each video stream. Therefore, at an acceptable ate of 10 frames per second, an average of 800 bytes are available to code each frame. …video sequences compressed using MPEG-1 alone exceed this average and would only allow a transmission rate of 6 fps.

(The fourth image is a link to the NAD Videophone Numbering Web page.)

Thousands of Americans who are deaf are finding video relay to be an easier and cheaper alternative to making calls via text telephones, or TTYs. Like many deaf people sold on video conversations, Frei doesn't have use for a telephone anymore.

"It's easier," said Frei, of Henrietta. "We can sign. We can communicate with our native language. And I like to see the facial expressions."

When Frei needs to call someone who doesn't know sign language, she uses a video relay center with sign language interpreters who make the calls for her.

The popularity of video relay services has exploded in the past four years. About 7,200 minutes of video relay were used per month when video relay began in January 2002, according to the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the service. By December 2005, more than 3 million minutes of video relay were used per month, with eight companies providing the service.

It's a booming business, with two video relay centers in Henrietta and more companies expected nationwide.

The potential for growth is tremendous because the service is used by only 10 percent to 15 percent of deaf people.

While the service is a boon for deaf users, its explosion carries ramifications:

Shortages of interpreters available to work in the community.
Millions raised from every U.S. phone bill to help pay for the services.

A discontinuation of some 24-hour video relay services if companies aren't reimbursed as needed to provide the service.
In Henrietta, dozens of sign language interpreters convey messages to and from deaf and hearing people nationwide. The companies opened centers here, where they could draw qualified interpreters from the area and other upstate communities.

The Rochester area has about 300 professional sign language interpreters; more than 100 are on staff at Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

"We have to go where there's a pool of interpreters," said Pat Nola, president and CEO of Sorenson Communications, a Salt Lake City-based company that opened a relay center here in February.

Communication Services for the Deaf, based in Sioux Falls, S.D., opened a video relay center in Henrietta in 2003.

Interpreter need

Some think that the dozens of interpreters working in the call centers are draining the local pool of interpreters available to work in the community. Each center relies on more than 30 interpreters who work full or part time. They travel from as far away as Syracuse, Buffalo, Ithaca, Elmira and Binghamton to work at the centers, which has caused interpreter shortages in those communities as well.

Nancy Berlove, who owns Sign Language Connection, one of several local companies that hire interpreters for community needs, said there was a shortage of interpreters locally even before the relay centers opened.

"Requests are not being met, the interpreting pool has dwindled, so you end up pushing the noncertified people a little more," she said. "You can't substitute for skill and experience."

Berlove said the rates paid to community interpreters — currently ranging from $35 to $45 an hour, although they don't work 40-hour weeks — may have to rise to keep them working in the community rather than in the video relay centers, which can provide a more attractive work setting.

"You don't have to drive, park, pay tolls. ... I can schedule myself for five hours in a row with VRS, and you have the support of other interpreters. ... It's really a nice environment," Berlove said. "It's so variable in the community."

Funding source

Video relay calls are free for the users, paid for with funds from phone companies and a small charge on land and cell phone bills. TTY users who opt to place calls through traditional relay centers have to pay for long-distance calls, although the rates are adjusted to reflect the longer times needed to have a typed conversation.

Fina Perez of Henrietta said video relay calls are much faster than traditional text telephone calls. Some deaf people may be uncomfortable using English, which may not be their first language.

"Before video relay, there were a lot of misunderstandings," Perez said.

Video relay consumers don't pay to use the service per minute as they would a long-distance TTY relay call "because there is no geographical correlation with the Internet," said Gregory Hlibok, a lawyer with the Disability Rights Office at the FCC.

The relay providers don't have the technological means to identify the caller's originating location, so no billing mechanism is in place.

Like many deaf people, Anthony Di Giovanni, 35, of Rochester keeps a text pager on his hip; his thumbs can type an e-mail or instant message in no time.

"When I'm fishing in a boat out on the water, who am I going to call if I need help? I'll use this," he said. "Thank you, America! It's a wonderful country!"

He can thank every person who pays a phone bill in the United States. The FCC has $441.5 million to pay relay providers this year for their services. About half of that goes to video relay services, with the rest going to more traditional TTY centers. The money is obtained either through a fee of 10 or 15 cents collected on every phone bill, or as a telephone company's overhead expenses.

The Americans with Disabilities Act says relay services must be available at no extra cost to the user, but video relay could be viewed as a luxury, Nola said.

Hlibok, himself deaf, said video relay is considered a necessity to many users of American Sign Language because of its quickness, as opposed to traditional TTY relay. An insurance claim through TTY relay could take up to an hour, whereas video relay could take as little as 15 minutes, he said.

Video relay companies used to get paid $17 a minute for each call they relayed. But that figure is now set at $6.11 a minute, a low figure that may jeopardize the current services provided, Nola said.

The FCC has received from the National Exchange Carrier Association, which oversees the fund, a proposal of $386.3 million for relay funding through June 2007, with plans to reimburse video relay firms $6.13 a minute for their services. Traditional relay centers, using TTYs, would be reimbursed $1.26 per minute.

"I'm a bit nervous that companies like ours might not be able to offer an effective service for the future," Nola told a room full of video relay users during an open house at the new center in Henrietta recently. "We don't care in the long run which company you use. We need to be able to protect the service as a whole."

Other news accounts of VRS:
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/1,70585-0.html
http://www.sorenson.com/press/reviews.php

The ATIS VoIP subcommittee met July 13 to discuss ways to deploy a centralized videophone numbering network for VRS users. Sprint and Sorenson have contributed technical proposals to this subcommittee (similar to their numbering comments to the FCC), but mostly Sprint's proposal was discussed.

"Points noted" at the meeting:

2. It was noted that there are three challenges to Internet Based Calling which needs to be worked out by the Industry, they are: Personal Telephone Numbers, Access to Emergency 9-1-1 Services, National Directory Services.

3. It was noted that in the contribution the term “Deaf” refers to any person who is deaf, hard of hearing, has a speech disability, or other need that requires them to use TRS services. Currently, deaf people using Internet-based relay services rely on the relay provider to make and receive calls. Sprint-Nextel laid out several problems and solutions for relay provider services in order to become equivalent to hearing users as it relates to numbering.

4. It was noted that a number can only be assigned where service providers agree to set an AIN [Advanced Intelligent Network] to handle the routing of the relay services. A similar program is being used in California. Remote Call Forwarding would be another option that wouldn’t require an AIN application that LECs could provide to support this.

5. It was noted that for both local and long distance calls a hearing user chooses their service provider; this contribution will allow those using a relay service to also choose the service provider.

6. It was noted that a more sophisticated solution would be to allow a user to change VRS providers depending on a per call basis.

7. It was noted that in order to assign numbers in a rate center, interconnection between local services will be needed so that these services are similar to national carriers. It was further noted that this will allow deaf users to have indistinguishable numbers to hearing users.

8. It was noted that in order ensure that the best interest of the customer is met, the relay providers should be allowed to provide the full service to their customers; therefore it does make sense for those providers to incur those costs and then receive reimbursement from the FCC.

9. It was noted that this contribution largely addresses policy, and INC may not be the forum to address these policy questions or issues related to cost. It was noted in response that the discussion around cost is not specific costs that the INC is trying to solve; should policy issues be identified they will be forwarded to the correct agency responsible for policy decisions.

10. It was noted that phone numbers used by deaf customers should be involved with the reimbursement process similar to hearing customers. These numbers will be allowed to be forwarded to the service provider of choice.

11. It was noted that the FCC does want interoperability between carriers, and these numbering issues will need to be provided. In addition a database should be administered that would meet the needs of these calls, so that from a numbering prospective, calls for both deaf and hearing customers are equivalent.

12. It was noted that there are potential choices to be looked into. One is a customer selecting a VRS service provider to make and receive calls. When a VRS end user wants to change service providers it might be difficult for the customer to change service providers. Another option would be to go through a centralized approach, whereby a customer would go through a third party when obtaining numbers. If a neutral third party controlled these types of changes it might ensure fair competition between service providers.

13. It was noted that INC Members should decide what areas of interest/concern are important to be addressed regarding this issue. Brainstorming ideas were captured and will be attached to the Minutes.

Action Item:

1. The VoIP Co-Chair will prepare a matrix based on the brainstorming ideas noted above ...

HERE IS THAT MATRIX:

Centralized (Neutral Third Party) or Distributed Number and VRS SP Selection

10-Digit Destination Decision Based on New Database of Existing SSS-7

VRS Selection Based upon End-User or Originating Caller
- process for changing VRS provider
- out-going vs. in-coming calls

Business-relationship between VRS Providers with LEC/VoIP Providers when obtaining telephone numbers

Directory information mechanisms (4-1-1)

9-1-1 Considerations

Number Assignment Reporting Guideline requirements

IP-IP interconnection utility (dynamic database look-up)
- National Database
- TNs assignable for net to net and non-PSTN calls only?

The following oppositions have been filed in response to the request of Snap Telecommunications for a limited waiver of the [FCC's] Video Relay Service interoperability requirements.

CSDVRS
HOVRS
Sorenson VRS
Telecommunications for the Deaf

In response to this message, which is programmed to appear when VP-100 users dial non-Sorenson relay providers, Hands-On VRS filed this complaint with the FCC. It draws the following comparison:

"...Imagine if AT&T distributed a telephone to the public which intercepted calls destined for other long distance providers, stated that AT&T could not vouch for the quality of the telephone transmission, and asked if the caller still desired to make the call. The Commission would not stand for this. Yet, that is exactly what Sorenson is doing here..."

In response, Sorenson filed these comments.

As always, your comments are welcome.

VRS... Standards are part of the FCC's regs promulgated for TRS and are available at 47 C.F.R. § 64.601 - 64.605. The Minimum Standards are set forth at section 604. These regs are subject of course to FCC and court interpretation and supplementation through various orders ...

You can get copies of the regs (and any other federal regs) pretty easily at this website:

47 C.F.R. § 64.604 after the fold...

[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 3]
[Revised as of October 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR64.604]

[Page 265-273]

TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION

CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)

PART 64_MISCELLANEOUS RULES RELATING TO COMMON CARRIERS--Table of Contents

Subpart F_Telecommunications Relay Services and Related Customer
Premises Equipment for Persons With Disabilities

Sec. 64.604 Mandatory minimum standards.

The standards in this section are applicable December 18, 2000,
except as stated in paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(7) of this section.
(a) Operational standards--(1) Communications assistant (CA). (i)
TRS providers are responsible for requiring that all CAs be sufficiently
trained to effectively meet the specialized communications needs of
individuals with hearing and speech disabilities.
(ii) CAs must have competent skills in typing, grammar, spelling,
interpretation of typewritten ASL, and familiarity with hearing and
speech disability cultures, languages and etiquette. CAs must possess
clear and articulate voice communications.
(iii) CAs must provide a typing speed of a minimum of 60 words per
minute. Technological aids may be used to

[[Page 266]]

reach the required typing speed. Providers must give oral-to-type tests
of CA speed.
(iv) TRS providers are responsible for requiring that VRS CAs are
qualified interpreters. A ``qualified interpreter'' is able to interpret
effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and
expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary.
(v) CAs answering and placing a TTY-based TRS or VRS call must stay
with the call for a minimum of ten minutes. CAs answering and placing an
STS call must stay with the call for a minimum of fifteen minutes.
(vi) TRS providers must make best efforts to accommodate a TRS
user's requested CA gender when a call is initiated and, if a transfer
occurs, at the time the call is transferred to another CA.
(vii) TRS shall transmit conversations between TTY and voice callers
in real time.
(2) Confidentiality and conversation content. (i) Except as
authorized by section 705 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 605, CAs
are prohibited from disclosing the content of any relayed conversation
regardless of content, and with a limited exception for STS CAs, from
keeping records of the content of any conversation beyond the duration
of a call, even if to do so would be inconsistent with state or local
law. STS CAs may retain information from a particular call in order to
facilitate the completion of consecutive calls, at the request of the
user. The caller may request the STS CA to retain such information, or
the CA may ask the caller if he wants the CA to repeat the same
information during subsequent calls. The CA may retain the information
only for as long as it takes to complete the subsequent calls.
(ii) CAs are prohibited from intentionally altering a relayed
conversation and, to the extent that it is not inconsistent with
federal, state or local law regarding use of telephone company
facilities for illegal purposes, must relay all conversation verbatim
unless the relay user specifically requests summarization, or if the
user requests interpretation of an ASL call. An STS CA may facilitate
the call of an STS user with a speech disability so long as the CA does
not interfere with the independence of the user, the user maintains
control of the conversation, and the user does not object. Appropriate
measures must be taken by relay providers to ensure that confidentiality
of VRS users is maintained.
(3) Types of calls. (i) Consistent with the obligations of
telecommunications carrier operators, CAs are prohibited from refusing
single or sequential calls or limiting the length of calls utilizing
relay services.
(ii) Relay services shall be capable of handling any type of call
normally provided by telecommunications carriers unless the Commission
determines that it is not technologically feasible to do so. Relay
service providers have the burden of proving the infeasibility of
handling any type of call.
(iii) Relay service providers are permitted to decline to complete a
call because credit authorization is denied.
(iv) Relay services shall be capable of handling pay-per-call calls.
(v) TRS providers are required to provide the following types of TRS
calls: (1) Text-to-voice and voice-to-text; (2) VCO, two-line VCO, VCO-
to-TTY, and VCO-to-VCO; (3) HCO, two-line HCO, HCO-to-TTY, HCO-to-HCO.
(vi) TRS providers are required to provide the following features:
(1) Call releasefunctionality; (2) speed dialing functionality; and (3)
three-way calling functionality.
(vii) Voice mail and interactive menus. CAs must alert the TRS user
to the presence of a recorded message and interactive menu through a hot
key on the CA's terminal. The hot key will send text from the CA to the
consumer's TTY indicating that a recording or interactive menu has been
encountered. Relay providers shall electronically capture recorded
messages and retain them for the length of the call. Relay providers may
not impose any charges for additional calls, which must be made by the
relay user in order to complete calls involving recorded or interactive
messages.
(viii) TRS providers shall provide, as TRS features, answering
machine and voice mail retrieval.
(4) Handling of emergency calls. Providers must use a system for
incoming

[[Page 267]]

emergency calls that, at a minimum, automatically and immediately
transfers the caller to an appropriate Public Safety Answering Point
(PSAP). An appropriate PSAP is either a PSAP that the caller would have
reached if he had dialed 911 directly, or a PSAP that is capable of
enabling the dispatch of emergency services to the caller in an
expeditious manner.
(5) STS called numbers. Relay providers must offer STS users the
option to maintain at the relay center a list of names and telephone
numbers which the STS user calls. When the STS user requests one of
these names, the CA must repeat the name and state the telephone number
to the STS user. This information must be transferred to any new STS
provider.
(b) Technical standards--(1) ASCII and Baudot. TRS shall be capable
of communicating with ASCII and Baudot format, at any speed generally in
use.
(2) Speed of answer. (i) TRS providers shall ensure adequate TRS
facility staffing to provide callers with efficient access under
projected calling volumes, so that the probability of a busy response
due to CA unavailability shall be functionally equivalent to what a
voice caller would experience in attempting to reach a party through the
voice telephone network.
(ii) TRS facilities shall, except during network failure, answer 85%
of all calls within 10 seconds by any method which results in the
caller's call immediately being placed, not put in a queue or on hold.
The ten seconds begins at the time the call is delivered to the TRS
facility's network. A TRS facility shall ensure that adequate network
facilities shall be used in conjunction with TRS so that under projected
calling volume the probability of a busy response due to loop trunk
congestion shall be functionally equivalent to what a voice caller would
experience in attempting to reach a party through the voice telephone
network.
(A) The call is considered delivered when the TRS facility's
equipment accepts the call from the local exchange carrier (LEC) and the
public switched network actually delivers the call to the TRS facility.
(B) Abandoned calls shall be included in the speed-of-answer
calculation.
(C) A TRS provider's compliance with this rule shall be measured on
a daily basis.
(D) The system shall be designed to a P.01 standard.
(E) A LEC shall provide the call attempt rates and the rates of
calls blocked between the LEC and the TRS facility to relay
administrators and TRS providers upon request.
(iii) Speed of answer requirements for VRS providers are phased-in
as follows: by January 1, 2006, VRS providers must answer 80% of all
calls within 180 seconds, measured on a monthly basis; by July 1, 2006,
VRS providers must answer 80% of all calls within 150 seconds, measured
on a monthly basis; and by Janury 1, 2007, VRS providers must answer 80%
of all calls within 120 seconds, measured on a monthly basis. Abandoned
calls shall be included in the VRS speed of answer calculation.
(3) Equal access to interexchange carriers. TRS users shall have
access to their chosen interexchange carrier through the TRS, and to all
other operator services, to the same extent that such access is provided
to voice users.
(4) TRS facilities. (i) TRS shall operate every day, 24 hours a day.
Relay services that are not mandated by this Commission need not be
provided every day, 24 hours a day, except VRS.
(ii) TRS shall have redundancy features functionally equivalent to
the equipment in normal central offices, including uninterruptible power
for emergency use.
(5) Technology. No regulation set forth in this subpart is intended
to discourage or impair the development of improved technology that
fosters the availability of telecommunications to person with
disabilities. TRS facilities are permitted to use SS7 technology or any
other type of similar technology to enhance the functional equivalency
and quality of TRS. TRS facilities that utilize SS7 technology shall be
subject to the Calling Party Telephone Number rules set forth at 47 CFR
64.1600 et seq.
(6) Caller ID. When a TRS facility is able to transmit any calling
party identifying information to the public network, the TRS facility
must pass through, to the called party, at least one of the following:
the number of the

[[Page 268]]

TRS facility, 711, or the 10-digit number of the calling party.
(c) Functional standards--(1) Consumer complaint logs.(i) States and
interstate providers must maintain a log of consumer complaints
including all complaints about TRS in the state, whether filed with the
TRS provider or the State, and must retain the log until the next
application for certification is granted. The log shall include, at a
minimum, the date the complaint was filed, the nature of the complaint,
the date of resolution, and an explanation of the resolution.
(ii) Beginning July 1, 2002, states and TRS providers shall submit
summaries of logs indicating the number of complaints received for the
12-month period ending May 31 to the Commission by July 1 of each year.
Summaries of logs submitted to the Commission on July 1, 2001 shall
indicate the number of complaints received from the date of OMB approval
through May 31, 2001.
(2) Contact persons. Beginning on June 30, 2000, State TRS Programs,
interstate TRS providers, and TRS providers that have state contracts
must submit to the Commission a contact person and/or office for TRS
consumer information and complaints about a certified State TRS
Program's provision of intrastate TRS, or, as appropriate, about the TRS
provider's service. This submission must include, at a minimum, the
following:
(i) The name and address of the office that receives complaints,
grievances, inquiries, and suggestions;
(ii) Voice and TTY telephone numbers, fax number, e-mail address,
and web address; and
(iii) The physical address to which correspondence should be sent.
(3) Public access to information. Carriers, through publication in
their directories, periodic billing inserts, placement of TRS
instructions in telephone directories, through directory assistance
services, and incorporation of TTY numbers in telephone directories,
shall assure that callers in their service areas are aware of the
availability and use of all forms of TRS. Efforts to educate the public
about TRS should extend to all segments of the public, including
individuals who are hard of hearing, speech disabled, and senior
citizens as well as members of the general population. In addition, each
common carrier providing telephone voice transmission services shall
conduct, not later than October 1, 2001, ongoing education and outreach
programs that publicize the availability of 711 access to TRS in a
manner reasonably designed to reach the largest number of consumers
possible.
(4) Rates. TRS users shall pay rates no greater than the rates paid
for functionally equivalent voice communication services with respect to
such factors as the duration of the call, the time of day, and the
distance from the point of origination to the point of termination.
(5) Jurisdictional separation of costs--(i) General. Where
appropriate, costs of providing TRS shall be separated in accordance
with the jurisdictional separation procedures and standards set forth in
the Commission's regulations adopted pursuant to section 410 of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
(ii) Cost recovery. Costs caused by interstate TRS shall be
recovered from all subscribers for every interstate service, utilizing a
shared-funding cost recovery mechanism. Except as noted in this
paragraph, with respect to VRS, costs caused by intrastate TRS shall be
recovered from the intrastate jurisdiction. In a state that has a
certified program under Sec. 64.605, the state agency providing TRS
shall, through the state's regulatory agency, permit a common carrier to
recover costs incurred in providing TRS by a method consistent with the
requirements of this section. Costs caused by the provision of
interstate and intrastate VRS shall be recovered from all subscribers
for every interstate service, utilizing a shared-funding cost recovery
mechanism.
(iii) Telecommunications Relay Services Fund. Effective July 26,
1993, an Interstate Cost Recovery Plan, hereinafter referred to as the
TRS Fund, shall be administered by an entity selected by the Commission
(administrator). The initial administrator, for an interim period, will
be the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc.
(A) Contributions. Every carrier providing interstate
telecommunications

[[Page 269]]

services shall contribute to the TRS Fund on the basis of interstate
end-user telecommunications revenues as described herein. Contributions
shall be made by all carriers who provide interstate services,
including, but not limited to, cellular telephone and paging, mobile
radio, operator services, personal communications service (PCS), access
(including subscriber line charges), alternative access and special
access, packet-switched, WATS, 800, 900, message telephone service
(MTS), private line, telex, telegraph, video, satellite, intraLATA,
international and resale services.
(B) Contribution computations. Contributors' contribution to the TRS
fund shall be the product of their subject revenues for the prior
calendar year and a contribution factor determined annually by the
Commission. The contribution factor shall be based on the ratio between
expected TRS Fund expenses to interstate end-user telecommunications
revenues. In the event that contributions exceed TRS payments and
administrative costs, the contribution factor for the following year
will be adjusted by an appropriate amount, taking into consideration
projected cost and usage changes. In the event that contributions are
inadequate, the fund administrator may request authority from the
Commission to borrow funds commercially, with such debt secured by
future years' contributions. Each subject carrier must contribute at
least $25 per year. Carriers whose annual contributions total less than
$1,200 must pay the entire contribution at the beginning of the
contribution period. Service providers whose contributions total $1,200
or more may divide their contributions into equal monthly payments.
Carriers shall complete and submit, and contributions shall be based on,
a ``Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet'' (as published by the
Commission in the Federal Register). The worksheet shall be certified to
by an officer of the contributor, and subject to verification by the
Commission or the administrator at the discretion of the Commission.
Contributors' statements in the worksheet shall be subject to the
provisions of section 220 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
The fund administrator may bill contributors a separate assessment for
reasonable administrative expenses and interest resulting from improper
filing or overdue contributions. The Chief of the Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau may waive, reduce, modify or eliminate
contributor reporting requirements that prove unnecessary and require
additional reporting requirements that the Bureau deems necessary to the
sound and efficient administration of the TRS Fund.
(C) Data collection from TRS Providers. TRS providers shall provide
the administrator with true and adequate data necessary to determine TRS
fund revenue requirements and payments. TRS providers shall provide the
administrator with the following: total TRS minutes of use, total
interstate TRS minutes of use, total TRS operating expenses and total
TRS investment in general accordance with part 32 of the Communications
Act, and other historical or projected information reasonably requested
by the administrator for purposes of computing payments and revenue
requirements. The administrator and the Commission shall have the
authority to examine, verify and audit data received from TRS providers
as necessary to assure the accuracy and integrity of fund payments.
(D) [Reserved]
(E) Payments to TRS providers. TRS Fund payments shall be
distributed to TRS providers based on formulas approved or modified by
the Commission. The administrator shall file schedules of payment
formulas with the Commission. Such formulas shall be designed to
compensate TRS providers for reasonable costs of providing interstate
TRS, and shall be subject to Commission approval. Such formulas shall be
based on total monthly interstate TRS minutes of use. TRS minutes of use
for purposes of interstate cost recovery under the TRS Fund are defined
as the minutes of use for completed interstate TRS calls placed through
the TRS center beginning after call set-up and concluding after the last
message call unit. In addition to the data required under paragraph
(c)(5)(iii)(C) of this section, all TRS providers, including providers
who are not interexchange carriers, local exchange carriers, or

[[Page 270]]

certified state relay providers, must submit reports of interstate TRS
minutes of use to the administrator in order to receive payments. The
administrator shall establish procedures to verify payment claims, and
may suspend or delay payments to a TRS provider if the TRS provider
fails to provide adequate verification of payment upon reasonable
request, or if directed by the Commission to do so. The TRS Fund
administrator shall make payments only to eligible TRS providers
operating pursuant to the mandatory minimum standards as required in
Sec. 64.604, and after disbursements to the administrator for
reasonable expenses incurred by it in connection with TRS Fund
administration. TRS providers receiving payments shall file a form
prescribed by the administrator. The administrator shall fashion a form
that is consistent with parts 32 and 36 procedures reasonably tailored
to meet the needs of TRS providers. The Commission shall have authority
to audit providers and have access to all data, including carrier
specific data, collected by the fund administrator. The fund
administrator shall have authority to audit TRS providers reporting data
to the administrator. The formulas should appropriately compensate
interstate providers for the provision of VRS, whether intrastate or
interstate.
(F) TRS providers eligible for receiving payments from the TRS Fund
are:
(1) TRS facilities operated under contract with and/or by certified
state TRS programs pursuant to Sec. 64.605; or
(2) TRS facilities owned by or operated under contract with a common
carrier providing interstate services operated pursuant to Sec. 64.604;
or
(3) Interstate common carriers offering TRS pursuant to Sec.
64.604.
(G) Any eligible TRS provider as defined in paragraph (c)(5)(iii)(F)
of this section shall notify the administrator of its intent to
participate in the TRS Fund thirty (30) days prior to submitting reports
of TRS interstate minutes of use in order to receive payment settlements
for interstate TRS, and failure to file may exclude the TRS provider
from eligibility for the year.
(H) Administrator reporting, monitoring, and filing requirements.
The administrator shall perform all filing and reporting functions
required in paragraphs (c)(5)(iii)(A) through (c)(5)(iii)(J) of this
section. TRS payment formulas and revenue requirements shall be filed
with the Commission on May 1 of each year, to be effective the following
July 1. The administrator shall report annually to the Commission an
itemization of monthly administrative costs which shall consist of all
expenses, receipts, and payments associated with the administration of
the TRS Fund. The administrator is required to keep the TRS Fund
separate from all other funds administered by the administrator, shall
file a cost allocation manual (CAM) and shall provide the Commission
full access to all data collected pursuant to the administration of the
TRS Fund. The administrator shall account for the financial transactions
of the TRS Fund in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles for federal agencies and maintain the accounts of the TRS
Fund in accordance with the United States Government Standard General
Ledger. When the administrator, or any independent auditor hired by the
administrator, conducts audits of providers of services under the TRS
program or contributors to the TRS Fund, such audits shall be conducted
in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. In
administering the TRS Fund, the administrator shall also comply with all
relevant and applicable federal financial management and reporting
statutes. The administrator shall establish a non-paid voluntary
advisory committee of persons from the hearing and speech disability
community, TRS users (voice and text telephone), interstate service
providers, state representatives, and TRS providers, which will meet at
reasonable intervals (at least semi-annually) in order to monitor TRS
cost recovery matters. Each group shall select its own representative to
the committee. The administrator's annual report shall include a
discussion of the advisory committee deliberations.
(I) Information filed with the administrator. The administrator
shall keep all data obtained from contributors and TRS providers
confidential and shall

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not disclose such data in company-specific form unless directed to do so
by the Commission. Subject to any restrictions imposed by the Chief of
the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, the TRS Fund administrator
may share data obtained from carriers with the administrators of the
universal support mechanisms (See 47 CFR 54.701 of this chapter), the
North American Numbering Plan administration cost recovery (See 47 CFR
52.16 of this chapter), and the long-term local number portability cost
recovery (See 47 CFR 52.32 of this chapter). The TRS Fund administrator
shall keep confidential all data obtained from other administrators. The
administrator shall not use such data except for purposes of
administering the TRS Fund, calculating the regulatory fees of
interstate common carriers, and aggregating such fee payments for
submission to the Commission. The Commission shall have access to all
data reported to the administrator, and authority to audit TRS
providers. Contributors may make requests for Commission nondisclosure
of company-specific revenue information under Sec. 0.459 of this
chapter by so indicating on the Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet
at the time that the subject data are submitted. The Commission shall
make all decisions regarding nondisclosure of company-specific
information.
(J) The administrator's performance and this plan shall be reviewed
by the Commission after two years.
(K) All parties providing services or contributions or receiving
payments under this section are subject to the enforcement provisions
specified in the Communications Act, the Americans with Disabilities
Act, and the Commission's rules.
(6) Complaints--(i) Referral of complaint. If a complaint to the
Commission alleges a violation of this subpart with respect to
intrastate TRS within a state and certification of the program of such
state under Sec. 64.605 is in effect, the Commission shall refer such
complaint to such state expeditiously.
(ii) Intrastate complaints shall be resolved by the state within 180
days after the complaint is first filed with a state entity, regardless
of whether it is filed with the state relay administrator, a state PUC,
the relay provider, or with any other state entity.
(iii) Jurisdiction of Commission. After referring a complaint to a
state entity under paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section, or if a
complaint is filed directly with a state entity, the Commission shall
exercise jurisdiction over such complaint only if:
(A) Final action under such state program has not been taken within:
(1) 180 days after the complaint is filed with such state entity; or
(2) A shorter period as prescribed by the regulations of such state;
or
(B) The Commission determines that such state program is no longer
qualified for certification under Sec. 64.605.
(iv) The Commission shall resolve within 180 days after the
complaint is filed with the Commission any interstate TRS complaint
alleging a violation of section 225 of the Act or any complaint
involving intrastate relay services in states without a certified
program. The Commission shall resolve intrastate complaints over which
it exercises jurisdiction under paragraph (c)(6)(iii) of this section
within 180 days.
(v) Complaint procedures. Complaints against TRS providers for
alleged violations of this subpart may be either informal or formal.
(A) Informal complaints--(1) Form. An informal complaint may be
transmitted to the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau by any
reasonable means, such as letter, facsimile transmission, telephone
(voice/TRS/TTY), Internet e-mail, or some other method that would best
accommodate a complainant's hearing or speech disability.
(2) Content. An informal complaint shall include the name and
address of the complainant; the name and address of the TRS provider
against whom the complaint is made; a statement of facts supporting the
complainant's allegation that the TRS provided it has violated or is
violating section 225 of the Act and/or requirements under the
Commission's rules; the specific relief or satisfaction sought by the
complainant; and the complainant's preferred format or method of
response to the complaint by the Commission and the defendant TRS
provider (such as letter,

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facsimile transmission, telephone (voice/TRS/TTY), Internet e-mail, or
some other method that would best accommodate the complainant's hearing
or speech disability).
(3) Service; designation of agents. The Commission shall promptly
forward any complaint meeting the requirements of this subsection to the
TRS provider named in the complaint. Such TRS provider shall be called
upon to satisfy or answer the complaint within the time specified by the
Commission. Every TRS provider shall file with the Commission a
statement designating an agent or agents whose principal responsibility
will be to receive all complaints, inquiries, orders, decisions, and
notices and other pronouncements forwarded by the Commission. Such
designation shall include a name or department designation, business
address, telephone number (voice and TTY), facsimile number and, if
available, internet e-mail address.
(B) Review and disposition of informal complaints. (1) Where it
appears from the TRS provider's answer, or from other communications
with the parties, that an informal complaint has been satisfied, the
Commission may, in its discretion, consider the matter closed without
response to the complainant or defendant. In all other cases, the
Commission shall inform the parties of its review and disposition of a
complaint filed under this subpart. Where practicable, this information
shall be transmitted to the complainant and defendant in the manner
requested by the complainant (e.g., letter, facsmile transmission,
telephone (voice/TRS/TTY) or Internet e-mail.
(2) A complainant unsatisfied with the defendant's response to the
informal complaint and the staff's decision to terminate action on the
informal complaint may file a formal complaint with the Commission
pursuant to paragraph (c)(6)(v)(C) of this section.
(C) Formal complaints. A formal complaint shall be in writing,
addressed to the Federal Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau,
Telecommunications Consumer Division, Washington, DC 20554 and shall
contain:
(1) The name and address of the complainant,
(2) The name and address of the defendant against whom the complaint
is made,
(3) A complete statement of the facts, including supporting data,
where available, showing that such defendant did or omitted to do
anything in contravention of this subpart, and
(4) The relief sought.
(D) Amended complaints. An amended complaint setting forth
transactions, occurrences or events which have happened since the filing
of the original complaint and which relate to the original cause of
action may be filed with the Commission.
(E) Number of copies. An original and two copies of all pleadings
shall be filed.
(F) Service. (1) Except where a complaint is referred to a state
pursuant to Sec. 64.604(c)(6)(i), or where a complaint is filed
directly with a state entity, the Commission will serve on the named
party a copy of any complaint or amended complaint filed with it,
together with a notice of the filing of the complaint. Such notice shall
call upon the defendant to satisfy or answer the complaint in writing
within the time specified in said notice of complaint.
(2) All subsequent pleadings and briefs shall be served by the
filing party on all other parties to the proceeding in accordance with
the requirements of Sec. 1.47 of this chapter. Proof of such service
shall also be made in accordance with the requirements of said section.
(G) Answers to complaints and amended complaints. Any party upon
whom a copy of a complaint or amended complaint is served under this
subpart shall serve an answer within the time specified by the
Commission in its notice of complaint. The answer shall advise the
parties and the Commission fully and completely of the nature of the
defense and shall respond specifically to all material allegations of
the complaint. In cases involving allegations of harm, the answer shall
indicate what action has been taken or is proposed to be taken to stop
the occurrence of such harm. Collateral or immaterial issues shall be
avoided in answers and every effort should be made to narrow the issues.
Matters alleged

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as affirmative defenses shall be separately stated and numbered. Any
defendant failing to file and serve an answer within the time and in the
manner prescribed may be deemed in default.
(H) Replies to answers or amended answers. Within 10 days after
service of an answer or an amended answer, a complainant may file and
serve a reply which shall be responsive to matters contained in such
answer or amended answer and shall not contain new matter. Failure to
reply will not be deemed an admission of any allegation contained in
such answer or amended answer.
(I) Defective pleadings. Any pleading filed in a complaint
proceeding that is not in substantial conformity with the requirements
of the applicable rules in this subpart may be dismissed.
(7) Treatment of TRS customer information. Beginning on July 21,
2000, all future contracts between the TRS administrator and the TRS
vendor shall provide for the transfer of TRS customer profile data from
the outgoing TRS vendor to the incoming TRS vendor. Such data must be
disclosed in usable form at least 60 days prior to the provider's last
day of service provision. Such data may not be used for any purpose
other than to connect the TRS user with the called parties desired by
that TRS user. Such information shall not be sold, distributed, shared
or revealed in any other way by the relay center or its employees,
unless compelled to do so by lawful order.

[65 FR 38436, June 21, 2000, as amended at 65 FR 54804, Sept. 11, 2000;
67 FR 13229, Mar. 21, 2002; 68 FR 50977, Aug. 25, 2003; 69 FR 5719, Feb.
6, 2004; 69 FR 53351, Sept. 1, 2004; 69 FR 55985, Sept. 17, 2004; 69 FR
57231, Sept. 24, 2004; 70 FR 51658, Aug. 31, 2005]