[Nfbmo] FCC Seeks Comments on Accessible, Affordable Cell Phone Options
Bryan Schulz
b.schulz at sbcglobal.net
Fri Jul 23 19:31:03 UTC 2010
hi,
have you found a sat/cable box that will speak the menus on the screen? i
would say those are still a ways off.
Bryan Schulz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dewey Bradley" <dewey.bradley at att.net>
To: "NFB of Missouri Mailing List" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] FCC Seeks Comments on Accessible,Affordable Cell Phone
Options
> 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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