[nfbwatlk] Questions about lifeline service

[Mike Freeman]

It may well be a violation of either the 21st Century Communications and
Video Accessibility Act or Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act.
However, the former doesn't have implementing regulations yet.

In any event, the jurisdiction would be Federal. I'd have to do some
research to see what statutes/regulations are applicable. The Americans with
Disabilities Act doesn't apply, though.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Ivan Weich
Sent: Friday, November 25, 2011 10:45 AM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Questions about lifeline service

I would say yes that it is a violation.  I will defer to Mike and the Board
for a determination on what we do.  
 
Ivan    

From: Philip Blackmer <pblackmer27 at gmail.com>
To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org 
Sent: Friday, November 25, 2011 2:00 AM
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Questions about lifeline service

Hello everyone This is Philip Blackmer.  For those who don't know me I am
usually a silent lurker on the list.  I have a few questions about what
everyone may know about lifeline cell phone service.  This has nothing to do
with medical alert pendants.  My understanding is that they do not allow the
use of smart phones and none of the cell phone providers have any truly
accessible feature or media phones.  I wanted to know if there is anything
that I may have missed, but it seems that by not allowing us to simply pay
the extra cost of smart phones this is unintentionally discriminating.  



For more information about the program you can visit this website.

http://www.lifeline.gov/lifeline_Consumers.html



When on a lifeline plan the service is very cheap but you don't have as many
talk minutes so in one case the plan is free and the most expensive I've
found so far is $20.  For example: AT&T costs about $16.50 a month according
to their lifeline services representative.  You get 300 anytime minutes and
1,000 nights and weekends.  The problem is that none of their available
phones can use a screen-reader.  Do we need to file a complaint?  This seems
more than just wrong, but possibly an unintentional violation of the law.
Feedback would be greatly appreciated.



P.S.

Mike Freeman, and Noel please email me off list.

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