Dr. Z and You

Dr. Z has been getting a lot of questions/inquiries about the FCC’s ruling on 800/866 numbers. He will try to clarify this here.

Q. Does that mean without 800/866 numbers, I will have to pay for VRS and VP calls from my local number?
A. The answer is NO. There will be no cost for outgoing VP or VRS calls. You will NOT be billed for any VP or VRS calls you make. You are already paying for the service today by paying for your monthly internet service (Comcast, RoadRunner, DSL, etc.) Your monthly internet service is your “phone bill.”

Q. Why did we have 800/866 service in the first place? Why was it “free”?
A. 800/866 numbers are free for hearing people to call you. That is the only reason for the “free” part. Now with a local number, the hearing people calling you will have to pay for a long distance call. BUT, since most hearing people have cell phones–cell phone plans do not have a long distance surcharge so that would not matter too much.

Q. Will I get a new bill for local numbers?
A. There will be no new bill. Everything will remain the same for you.

Q. What if I do not change from a 800/866 number to a local number?
A. In one year, people will not be able to reach you on your 800/866 number, unless you pay for the 800/866 number.

Q. If I want to keep my 800/866 number, what should I do?
A. Your videophone company will make arrangements to have you pay for the number. It will be a few dollars per month to have a 800/866 number.

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.

Come to think of it…look at the VRS landscape…

Look at every VRS provider…

Look at ZVRS…

Make a comparision…

ZVRS has enabled video communication on…let’s count…10 devices (iPhone4, iPod Touch, T-Mobile MyTouch, Samsung Epic, Samsung Tab, Z-150, PC, Mac, Z-Ojo and the Z-340)…with much more on the way…

No other VRS provider comes close! This is all about choice…ZVRS gives the deaf and hard of hearing consumer a choice, with quality video communication and interpreters…

The rest is history…

Get a Z-life…this means you get connected everywhere, anyplace with any device you want!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Many people wonder what the term “eco-system” refers to?

It means devices in a family of products work together in many more ways than one. To use the Apple eco-system as an example–you have the Mac (computer), iPhone 4 ( mobile device), iPod Touch (mobile system) and the Apple TV (TV interface). All of these units work to exchange information. You can have the Mac taking information from the iPod, and then show it on a TV using Apple TV. Or you can use Facetime on the Mac to communicate with an iPod or an iPhone.

Dr. Z on his tour has demonstrated the Apple eco-system and people walk away awed at the possibility of how technology can change our lives in so short a time. Apple has thought everything out and this is only the beginning.

This is not to ignore Google. Google has their Android system– the Android mobile phones, their Chrome browser, their Google TV. They are still putting the pieces together to communicate seamlessly. Dr. Z had the opportunity to sit down with a knowledgeable Google TV person at a Best Buy store recently and he walked away awed at the possibilities it will bring. The major difference is that you can do a videochat on a Google TV device. Dr. Z needs to do more research on how interoperable it is with the current crop of videophones.

We have begun to scratch the surface of how everything ties together. In a year, we will have a better idea and then enjoy what technology has to offer, The age of set-top videophones with a single purpose (video conferencing) will still have a place but with very defined settings, such as a workplace.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access (and is excited about what the future has to offer.)

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

1 Seattle                              Trial
2 Minneapolis                       None
3 San Antonio                       Kathy-Houston, Texas
4 Glacier National Park           None
5 Miami                                David-Oakland, California
6 Boston                               Rick-Lincolnwood, IL
7 Copenhagen, Denmark        Jennifer-Palm Harbor, FL
8 Waikiki Beach, Hawaii         David-Oakland, California
9 Victoria Falls, Zambia          Samuel-Silver Spring, MD
10 Paris, France                    Nancy-Herndon, VA
11 Tokyo, Japan                    None
12 Moscow, Russia                John
13 Denver, CO                      None
14 Jerusalem                        Mary-Lakeland, FL
15 Machu Picchu                   David
16 Florence, Italy                  Jeanne-Silver Spring,  MD
17 Yosemite, California          None
18 Dallas, TX                        Phil
19 Ayers Rock, Australia         Karen-Suffern, NY
20 Mt. Everest, Nepal             Sonny-Sioux Falls, SD
21 St. Basil’s Cathedral           Mary-Lakeland, FL
22 London Bridge                  Kathy-Indianapolis, IN
23 Bryce Canyon                   Nancy-Herndon, VA

If you have any VRS related question or have a story about using VRS, you are welcome to ask/tell Dr. Z–if it gets published on this website as a post (not a comment), you will receive a $5 Starbucks or Target gift card.
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Enjoy!!