[Blindtlk] I was watching the Oscars last night and there was a commercial on the Comcast cable box for the blind

[Bob Hachey]

Hi all,
Since I am not a Beta tester I am not under any orders to stay silent about
the exciting features that we who are blind can expect to see from our cable
and satellite providers over the next few years.
Firstly, these changes are due largely to the 21st Century Communication and
Video Accessibility act of 2010, (CVAA). This law requires not only video
description of television programming, but it also requires accessibility
for cable boxes, other video devices and mobile devices.
The requirement for accessible cable boxes takes effect on July 1, 2015.
This will mean access to things like the cable guide, the Digital video
recorder and all of the onscreen menus that a cable box provides. No doubt
that we are way behind the UK in accessible cable boxes. Also, Comcast has
taken the lead here, thanks in large part to Tom Wlodkowsky, Vice-president
for accessibility at Comcast who is blind. 
Frankly, as things stand now, I'd have to say that Comcast is likely to be
the only provider who will be providing accessible onscreen services in time
to comply with the FCC regulations. I sure do hope I'm wrong here, but I've
not seen very much evidence that others in the industry including Verizon
and Time Warner are on track to provide this new access by July 1.
While it was ACB which did much of the advocacy for the CVAA, we could use
the help of all cable TV and satellite users who are blind or visually
impaired. Now is the time for all cable TV users to be asking their
providers for accessible set-top boxes. Tell your provider what such access
will mean to you and remind your provider that the CVAA requires that this
access be provided by July 1 of this year. 
There is a part of me that wishes I was still a Comcast user. Five years
ago, I was not very happy with Comcast and I got a great offer from Verizon.
But, in the end, we need users of all providers to advocate so that the new
law will be followed and so that all blind and visually impaired users of
cable and satellite TV may have full access to the services provided.
AS July 1 draws near, I will provide here a detailed set of instructions on
how to file complaints with the FCC in cases where this access is not
provided by that date. Enforcement of laws like this is a complaint-driven
process
.
Bob Hachey