FCC Information on TRS/VRS
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There has been a lot of filings on the FCC website related to VRS. A lot of white-label providers are filing applications for certification.
Why?
The FCC has decided that in order to provide VRS services, a provider must be certified. It is not good enough to be a subcontractor to a certified VRS company. Many of these subcontractors or affiliates are called “white-label” providers. The “white-label” providers are not certified so after October 1st or thereabouts, they will not be allowed to provide VRS services unless they are certified or waived by the FCC temporarily to provide VRS services.
A certified provider must employ (and not contract) with interpreters and they must own, or lease the platform they use to provide VRS services. There are other requirements for certification.
So, by October 1st or around that time, you may or may not be able to access some of your VRS providers. Dr. Z wants you to be aware that it is a possibility.
If that happens, you will need to call a certified VRS provider such as ZVRS to make a call. ZVRS is not the only certified provider–there are others out there.
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.
The people at ZVRS worked so hard to make it happen and this is our new pride and joy—1Number and Z Box!
What is it?
1Number
With 1Number™, people can use a single phone number to call you and the call will reach you simultaneously at up to four Z videophone products and/or your VP-200®.
Simply choose one of your Z phone numbers as your primary number, then select up to three other videophones to be tied to your new 1Number™.
When someone makes a call to your 1Number, all of the videophones you selected will ring at the same time. Likewise, when you answer the call on ANY of the selected videophones, the others will stop “ringing,” as well.
Once you have set up 1Number, you can give out just the primary phone number for people to reach you at ANY of your selected videophones.
Here’s the link to more information on 1Number.
Z Box
Z Box is a terminal adapter that works with a flash alert notification system. It connects between your computer’s router and the flash alert notification transmitter, allowing your flash alert notification receivers (such as lamps) to signal when you have incoming calls.
Here’s the link to more information on Z Box.
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclosure: Dr. Z (Philip W. Bravin) is an employee with CSDVRS, currently its Vice-President of Marketing.
Dr. Z is a factual person, he does not really want to use his consultative role to “tease”–but he is making a rare exception to do so.
ZVRS will have a momentous launch. One of the most revolutionary products/service ever to hit the VRS/VP market–1Number and Z Box. It will be launched on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 10 a.m.
This is all the information Dr. Z can share at this time. The beta test results got everyone very excited and everyone at ZVRS is excited about rolling out this product/service.
Coming soon…
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclosure: Dr. Z (Philip W. Bravin) is an employee with CSDVRS, currently its Vice-President of Marketing.
There has been some “chatter” on social media about people carrying a video conversation while driving.
We already know that texting while driving causes accidents and things like that. A tree or a telephone pole does not move; and another car may be in your way before you know it. It requires a few seconds to respond.
Talking on video while driving is dangerous and while Dr. Z is not a medical doctor, he is prescribing you not to do that–it is not safe and can cause accidents.
If you need to talk on video while you are on the road, pull over to a shoulder, enter a service area or a parking lot. This is much safer and the few minutes the trip may take longer adds to your margin of safety.
Again, please do not VP while driving for everyone’s peace of mind.
Thank you for listening.
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclaimer: Dr. Z (Philip Bravin) is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.
Dr. Z has an iPad2 and he LOVES it!
ZVRS has a monthly drawing for a free iPAD2.
“Where do I find the drawing on the Web”, you may ask?
Simply–go to http://www.facebook.com/like.zvrs and look for the “iPad2 Sweepstakes” on the left column.
If you have not “liked” ZVRS before, just click on the “Like” icon at the top, then a form will appear for you to fill out.
With an iPad2, you can use VRS or point-to-point with the Z4 Mobile app (Link for Information).
Good Luck!
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclosure: Dr. Z (Philip W. Bravin) is an employee with CSDVRS, currently its Vice-President of Marketing.
The FCC has issued an order on 800/866 numbers. The FCC has directed that if anyone wants a 800/866 number for their videophone, they will have to pay for it on a monthly basis.
This means those of you who have 800/866 number as your primary number, if you do not want to pay for it, you must use your local number to receive calls. In about a year’s time, if you do not change to a local number and do not pay for your 866 number, you will not be able to receive calls on your videophone.
The FCC (and Dr. Z) in the past has indicated that something like this would be forthcoming and it has happened.
What should you do?
If you already make and receive calls using your local number (not 800/866), you do not have to do anything.
If you use your 800/866 number for others to call you, you must within a year give your friends, relatives and others like your doctor, your local number so they can reach you.
Why is the FCC doing this? They want to be sure that deaf and hard of hearing people receive functionally equivalent communication service, just like hearing people. In this case, hearing people have to pay for their use of 800/866 numbers, so the FCC is saying that deaf and hard of hearing people then have to pay for their use of 800/866 numbers. The copy of the order can be found at this link.
Please take the time to change your 800/866 numbers to local numbers. ZVRS customer service can help you if you wish, by sending an email to h...@zvrs.com (click the … to avoid mail spam) or calling ZVRS on VP# 866-932-7891.
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.
ZVRS has come up with an enhancement to the Z-340 portable videophone–it will have a zoom feature that you can control with the Z-340 remote!
If you already have a Z-340, wait a few days and it will automatically be updated on your device. You do not have to do anything, except to update your firmware when it happens. You do not have to get a new remote–your current remote will work and control the zoom.
To get more information about the zoom feature, click this link. For more information about the Z-340, click this link.
If you want a Z-340 and switch from another device, just go to our website (link) and you will get a Z-340 in a few days!
In addition to the zoom feature, you also have the following features on your Z-340:
-My Mail (where people who call you–deaf, hard of hearing and hearing can leave a video message.) You can view the video message on your pager, or your profile on the website, or on your Z-340 device!
-My Contacts, where you can have your deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people’s video phone number
-My Alert, where incoming calls will beep on your pager and you can go to your Z-340 to answer the call
The Z-340- is also a wireless device which means, with wifi in your home, you can communicate via video from anywhere in your home!
Also, if you have a TV, you can connect your Z-340 to a TV and communicate away!!
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclosure: Dr. Z (Philip W. Bravin) is a employee with CSDVRS, currently its Vice-President of Marketing.
The FCC has issued an order ( link to order) on certification of VRS providers. This order has raised some eyebrows and the FCC indicates it is doing this to reduce the incidence of abuse and fraud as much as possible.
For those providers who have been previously certified by the FCC will need to be re-certified again at the end of their certification authorization.
The FCC will no longer recognize those providers who have been certified as “common carriers” by the FCC or through their states. They will need to be re-certified by the FCC as a VRS provider.
In order to be certified or re-certified as a VRS provider, the provider MUST employ all interpreters who work as video interpreters. The FCC will not allow any contracted interpreters or use of interpreter agencies as subcontractors. All interpreters must be employees.
In addition, the all centers that interpreters work out must have a legitimate lease or ownership which must be verified by the FCC at their request. Also, anyone who owns more than 10% of a video relay provider must document proof of such ownership and all video relay providers must provide to the FCC a list of all executives and significant employees. All of this is subject to verification by the FCC.
All current uncertified VRS providers must apply for certification by the FCC provided they meet the above requirements in order to provide VRS service. Those providers cannot contract out any resources–they must own or license any resources needed for operating a VRS service.
There’s a lot more in the fine print of the order. The order will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register which usually means 45-60 days from last Friday, when the order was issued.
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.
Dr. Z takes 911 issues seriously, so does the FCC.
Here, we have received reliable information that a Sorenson trainer in the Pacific Northwest area indicated that Z phones would not be able to make 911 calls. That is NOT true! From day 1, ZVRS takes 911 calls seriously and we process dozens of 911 calls every day.
Our website says that in plain english with this link:
http://zvrs.com/company/fcc/911
This webpage has been on our website for over a year now. It has been there since the FCC required all VRS providers to handle 911 calls. All VRS providers are required by the FCC to handle 911 calls.
Sorenson, kindly think twice before assuming anything…ZVRS is proud of whom we are and we stand behind our products and services, including 911 calls.
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.
Google +
Facebook with Skype Video
Upcoming Announcements from Apple (iPhone 5)
Amazon Tablet
After the summer is over, we are bound to see how the sand is shifting in the VRS industry–not only with the new developments above–but with the providers rolling out new and exciting stuff…ZVRS, included!
Stay tuned.
Dr. Z cares about your communication access.
Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.
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