[Electronics-talk] Cable, SAP, and 21st Century Communications Accessibility

[Gerald Levy]

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do except file a complaint with the 
FCC next October, when they will begin accepting complaints regarding 
non-compliance with the Telecommunications Act of 2010.  Of course, just 
because they will begin accepting complaints does not mean that they will 
take any meaningful or decisive action against cable and satellite companies 
who are unwilling or unable to make their set-top boxes accessible.  Indeed, 
the cable companies are perfectly willing to pay nominal fines for 
non-compliance and pass these costs on to their customers in the form of 
higher monthly bills as a necessary cost of doing business.  My cable 
provider, Time Warner, currently has no plans to introduce an accessible 
set-top box anytime in the near future, and their customer service agents 
know absolutely nothing about the availability of such boxes.  They have 
their customers over a barrel because if you cancel your service in protest, 
you will not be able to receive TV reception at all because indoor antennas 
do not work well for digital TV, and in most cities, the cable companies 
have sweetheart deals with landlords and property owners that prohibit the 
installation of rooftop antennas on apartment buildings.  So unfortunately, 
we blind consumers are getting screwed nine ways to Sunday.

Gerald


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione via Electronics-talk" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2014 6:50 AM
Subject: [Electronics-talk] Cable, SAP,and 21st Century Communications 
Accessibility


> Our cable provider, Cablevision, informed us they no longer broadcast SAP, 
> after we asked them why it wasn't working.  Their phone app is also not 
> accessible in any meaningful way, which annoys me a lot.  Every time I 
> hear a commercial touting all the wonderful things one can do with their 
> marvellous app, I end up yelling at the TV "Unless you're blind!".
> Does anyone know how to put some pressure on these idiots?  We have a law; 
> how do I make them comply?  File a complaint with the DOJ? I'd complain to 
> my Congressman too, but he's a Tea Party Republican who probably figures 
> there shouldn't be any regulations or laws about business anyway.
> Tracy
>
>
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