Relay Provider Panel

- TDI Workshop "Relay Providers Panel"
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This article is one of a continuing series from the biannual conference hosted by Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc. (TDI). This workshop was part of an afternoon session entitled "Quality of Service Revisited: On the Road to Functional Equivalency in TRS". The presenters were:
Dixie Ziegler, Director of Relay, Hamilton Telecommunications
Gail Sanchez, Product Manager, AT&T
Paul Rutkowski, Customer Relations Manager, Sprint
Jim Skjeveland, VP of Relay and CBO, CSD
Rita Beier, Director of Outreach and QA, VISTA Information
William McClelland, Senior Manager, Enhanced Network Solutions, MCI Global Relay

Dixie Ziegler noted that many new technologies are being added to relay services, including Internet Protocol (IP), Video Relay Service (VRS), and new calling features. Hamilton now has 10-10 dialing (which allows relay users to use the less expensive 10-10 long distance services), Speech-to-Speech (STS), outreach, and education to ensure that people accept relay calls. They also educate on the role of the Communications Assistant (CA) and they want their CAs to take the initiative to facilitate communications when the client allows.

FCC requirements have recently been updated. Things like answer speed, typing speed, the ability to handle 900 calls, recording of voicemail, have all been improved. This is all progress.

Hamilton wants to announce a speech to text trial using Ultratec's Voice Recognition technology (including Fastran and Captel). They hope to start the trial this fall!

Dixie stated that Hamilton needs to consider customers, investors, and employees. Their best outreach is satisfied customers, which leads to more relay minutes, which makes everyone happy.

Hamilton did a 2-week study several months before and after the new FCC rules. They are seeing 14% more calls with better service after the implementation of the new rules. But the average conversation time is down ten percent. Still, overall they're seeing more minutes for the company, so they like the new service requirements.

Gail Sanchez stated that AT&T's goal is to bring functional equivalence to EVERY user. They have fulfilled the new FCC requirements; they have 711 service in all their states, and their 711 system will give access to all relay services.

They are working closely with customers to deliver faster connections; they'd like to see almost immediate connection to the called number.

AT&T is also working to provide new options and features in the relay choice profile, and they hope to have that this year.

Paul Rutkowski and Jim Skjeveland presented together, because their companies are partners in providing relay services. They are also meeting or exceeding the new FCC requirements, including STS, 60 wpm typing, enhanced 911, the answering time rule, etc.

It's important to look at different members of the disability community. Have we arrived at functional equivalence for each of them? It's not one size fits all.

Video Relay Service (VRS) brings us closer to functional equivalence for the Deaf population. It has really made a difference in Texas.

IP relay is coming. In Texas, 90% of people using VRS do it over IP. The funding currently supports ISDN technology.

If we really want functional equivalence, what are some other things we can pursue?

Rita Beier stated that providing functional equivalence requires lots of resources and combinations of perspectives. She questioned by whose standards functional equivalence requirements are set. Various groups have different perspectives. For example, are knowledge of voice tone, speaking cadence, phrasing, etc., part of functional equivalence? Normal conversation contains lots of auditory cues. But some providers consider providing that information to be the insertion of an opinion, which is illegal. We can use caller profiles to respond to the will of the consumer, but the customers have to fill them out.

VISTA is not a telco [telephone company], but a human resource provider. They met the new FCC standards, because their Request for Proposal (RFP) requires higher standards that the FCC. Rita mentioned that they have a service that allows the CA to assist the TTY user to navigate a voice system to another TTY user (e.g. a hotel system), then leave the call.

One of the reasons the current 711 system doesn't provide functional equivalence is because everyone, regardless of the equipment being used, comes to one portal. The first response at the portal is in Spoken English, then spoken Spanish, then English on a TTY, etc. Caller profiles can help alleviate this situation, but separate phone numbers for different services may be a better solution.

Many hearing people, including some at government agencies, still refuse relay calls. Massachusetts has a good outreach program to inform the hearing public about relay services. And the FCC has asked for input regarding a national outreach program.

Rita would like to see true caller ID with a relay indicator.

Wireless compatibility is an issue that still needs to be worked. One unresolved issue is how users would be billed.

William McClelland stated that MCI meets or exceeds all state and federal requirements, but that doesn't mean that the service is even close to functional equivalence.

In past 2 years, MCI has replaced much of its equipment to facilitate implementation of advanced features, including true caller id and E911 access.

One of their current high priorities is recruiting and retaining CAs who can meet the 60 wpm speed requirement.

Q: What has been the effect of 711 on relay calls?
A: Rita: In Massachusetts we implemented 711 in March 2000. The percentage of voice users is increasing a lot. Voice users are calling relay, which is a very good thing.
A: Gail: Relay services are seeing an increase in 711 calls when the service is implemented, but then it flattens out. The reason may be that many consumers don't want to reprogram their TTYs with the new number. Seems to flatten out at about 50% of the calls coming in through 711. Some customers prefer to use the toll-free number.

Q: Several problems still exist with using 711, including cell phones, private numbers at work, how to print business cards, etc. What can we do about this?
A: Regarding the cell phone issue [Ed: The real question is "Where does the call originate?"], MCI Wireless solicited providers about how to implement 711 on a cell phone, and they have a couple of ways to do that. Phase 2 implementation for E911 has the same problem - where does the call come from? In that situation, the call needs to transmit the ANI [Ed: identification number] of the phone and the cell tower.

As far as PBXs [Ed: business phone systems], the rules for the transition of PBXs is vague. We want to see the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) put out a notice to companies to reprogram their PBXs, if that's even possible. Three digit dialing (e.g. 711) through a PBX is a large concern.

Q: My experience with VRS has not been good, but I'm interested in using it at work. I think I need VRS to compete. How can we get better and faster service?
A: Paul: VRS isn't perfect, but it's much faster than traditional relay.
A: Other new technologies will also help provide faster relay service. Speech to text, for example, will greatly increase the speed of traditional relay. We're working to make that compatible with relay services.