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Transition from TTY to Real-Time Text Technology

NVRC Board Members Tom Dowling, Gary Viall, and Alexa Schriempf, and staff member Debbie Jones attended this morning's FCC Open Meeting   There was a great turn out of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind and Speech Disability consumer organizations!  There were representatives from Gallaudet University, TDI, HLAA, and NAD, to name just a few.

The first item on the agenda for this morning's meeting was the Transition from TTY to Real-Time Text Technology:

The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to help achieve the transition from TTY technology to a reliable and interoperable means of providing real-time text communication over wireless Internet protocol-enabled networks and services.

 

Real-Time Text Technology (RTT) would replace the old TTY technology for communication over telephone lines and wireless systems, providing real-time, as you type it, text communications for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind and Speech Disabled consumers.  RTT would be flexible to work on all internet protocol systems and devices, as well as being retro compatible with older TTY devices, until they phase out.  It would also be compatible with 911 systems for emergency calls.

The FCC heard the report  on Real-Time Text Technology, as well as remarks from Bobbi Cordano, President of Gallaudet University. The Commissioners voted to adopt the Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

This means that, moving forward, industries will not limited to making devices compatible with the old TTY technology, and can focus on making RTT interoperable across all devices and IP networks.

(See attached press release)

DOWNLOAD (PDF) - FCC Press Release DOC-342624A1

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