[Nfbmo] FCC Seeks Comments on Accessible, Affordable Cell Phone Options
Dewey Bradley
dewey.bradley at att.net
Fri Jul 23 18:27:12 UTC 2010
This is a step in the right direction, It would be nice to go buy a phone
and have it accessible right out of the box, the same with things like cable
and sattlelight receavers
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shelia Wright" <sbwright95 at att.net>
To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 8:54 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] FCC Seeks Comments on Accessible, Affordable Cell Phone
Options
> Thanks Fred. This is good info to have and for us to act on.
> Shelia
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fred Olver <goodfolks at charter.net>
> Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 7:00 AM
> To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org; NFB of Missouri Mailing List
> <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>; Blindad at babel-fish.us
> Subject: [Nfbmo] FCC Seeks Comments on Accessible, Affordable Cell Phone
> Options
>
> Subject: FCC Seeks Comments on Accessible, Affordable Cell Phone Options
> for the Blind
>
>
> Below is a notice the Federal Communications Commission released
> Monday seeking comments on systemic approaches the agency can take in
> increasing accessible and affordable cell phone options for the blind.
> For those in the United States, this is an excellent opportunity to
> share our concerns and ideas for something better. The footnotes are
> at the end of the document.
>
> DA 10-1324
> Released: July 19, 2010
> Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
> And Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
> Seek Comment on Accessible Mobile Phone Options for
> People who are Blind, Deaf-blind, or Have Low Vision
>
> Comment Date: September 13, 2010
> Reply Comment Date: September 30, 2010
>
> On May 13, 2010, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the
> Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau held a workshop on "Expanding
> Disability Access with Wireless Technologies" (Wireless Access
> Workshop) to learn more about mobile communications issues facing
> people with disabilities and the ways in which new technologies can
> offer opportunities to meet the communications access needs of this
> community. Participants included stakeholders from the disability
> community, industry, academia, and non-profit organizations. On June
> 15, 2010, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau met with twelve
> members of the deaf-blind community, along with representatives of the
> Helen Keller National Center and the American Association of the
> Deaf-Blind.1 The purpose of this meeting was to discuss
> telecommunications and Internet barriers experienced by this
> population.
>
> Based on the input that Commission staff received during these
> events, along with the record developed in conjunction with the
> National Broadband Plan,2 we are concerned that people who are blind
> or have other vision disabilities have few accessible and affordable
> wireless phone options.3 More specifically, according to statements
> made at the workshop, the vast majority of mobile telephones are not
> accessible to this population without the addition of expensive
> software. We are also concerned that many wireless technologies may
> not be compatible with Braille displays needed by individuals who are
> deaf-blind. In addition, according to the participants of the June
> 15th meeting, many specialized technologies needed to enable wireless
> telecommunications access for the deaf-blind community are cost
> prohibitive and difficult to find.
>
> In order to be fully informed on the issues raised by consumers and
> determine appropriate next steps to achieve telecommunications access
> for these populations, we seek input from all stakeholders on the
> following:
>
> (1) The wireless phone features and functions in the current
> marketplace that are not accessible for people who are blind, have
> vision loss, or are deaf-blind and the extent to which gaps in
> accessibility are preventing wireless communication access by these
> populations;
>
> (2) The cost and feasibility of technical solutions to achieve
> wireless accessibility for these populations;
>
> (3) Reasons why there are not a greater number of wireless phones -
> particularly among less expensive or moderately-priced handset models
> - that are accessible to people who are blind or have vision loss;
>
> (4) Technical obstacles, if any, to making wireless technologies
> compatible with Braille displays, as well as the cost and feasibility
> of technical solutions to achieve other forms of compatibility with
> wireless products and services for people who are deaf-blind;
>
> (5) Recommendations on the most effective and efficient technical and
> policy solutions for addressing the needs of consumers with vision
> disabilities, including those who are deaf-blind.
>
> (6) Recommendations on actions that our bureaus or the Commission
> should take to address the current lack of access. For example, is
> additional guidance needed on specific access features that should be
> included in wireless products? Should we facilitate a dialogue among
> stakeholders in order to reach a specific agreement to address the
> accessibility concerns outlined above?
>
> Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules,
> interested parties may file comments on or before September 13, 2010
> and reply comments on or before September 30, 2010. Comments may be
> filed using: (1) the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System
> (ECFS), (2) the Federal Government's eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by
> filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking
> Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998).
>
> * Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the
> Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Filers
> should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting
> comments.
>
> * Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an
> original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or
> rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers
> must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or
> rulemaking number.
>
> * Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial
> overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service
> mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S.
> Postal Service mail). All filings must be addressed to the
> Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal
> Communications Commission.
>
> * The Commission's contractor will receive hand-delivered or
> messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary at
> 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. The
> filing hours at this location are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand
> deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any
> envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building.
>
> * Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express
> Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive,
> Capitol Heights, MD 20743.
>
> * U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be
> addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554.
>
> A copy of this document and any subsequently filed documents in this
> matter will be available during regular business hours at the FCC
> Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-A257,
> Washington, DC 20554, (202) 418-0270. This document and any
> subsequently filed documents in this matter may also be purchased from
> the Commission's duplicating contractor at their website,
> www.bcpiweb.com, or by calling 1-800-378-3160. A copy of the
> submission may also be found by searching on the Commission's
> Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) at
> http://www.fcc.gov.cgb/ecfs.
>
> To request materials in accessible formats for people with
> disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format),
> send an e-mail to fcc504 at fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental
> Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).
>
> FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Lyle, Wireless
> Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-1776; TTY (202) 418-1169 or email
> at Elizabeth.Lyle at fcc.gov.
>
>
> -FCC-
>
> 1 Meeting summary available at
> http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020511584.
> 2 See, e.g., American Association of the Deaf-Blind Comments in re:
> NBP PN#4 (Comment Sought on Broadband Accessibility for People with
> Disabilities Workshop II: Barriers, Opportunities, and Policy
> Recommendations - NBP Public Notice #4, GN Docket Nos. 09-47, 09-51,
> 09-137, Public Notice 24 FCC Rcd 11968 (CGB 2009), filed Oct. 6, 2009,
> at 1-2.
> 3 See e.g., Comments of Paul Schroeder, American Foundation for the
> Blind, "Expanding Disability Access with Wireless Technologies," (May
> 13, 2010), (Wireless Access Workshop),
> http://reboot.fcc.gov/video-archives.
> ??
>
> ??
>
> ??
>
> ??
>
> PUBLIC NOTICE
>
>
>
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