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**T[ABLE OF CONTENTS]{.smallcaps}**

**Foreword by William E. Kennard** i

**I. Organizational Structure** 1

A. Office of the Bureau Chief 1

B. Consumer Education Office 1

C. Consumer Information Network Division 2

D. Disabilities Rights Office 3

E. Liaison to Tribal Governments 3

F. Reference Information Center 4

G. Strategic Information Office 4

H. Systems Support Office 5

**II. Outreach and Education** 6

A. Forums and Conferences 6

1\. Events Hosted by CIB 6

2\. Presentations by CIB Staff 9

B. Publications 13

1\. CIB Productions 13

2\. Other Publications 14

C. Web Access 14

**III. Operations** 17

A. Consumer Inquiries and Complaints 17

B. Consumer Centers 20

1\. Calls to 888-CALLFCC (voice)/ 888-TELLFCC (TTY) 20

2\. Speed of Answer 21

3\. Processing Telephone Calls from Consumers 22

C. Systems Support 22

D. Disability Inquiries and Complaints 24

1\. Number of Inquiries and Complaints 24

2\. Area of Disability-Related Concerns 25

3\. Method of Service Preferred by Consumer 27

4\. Type of Disability Involved 28

5\. Range of Customers Served 29

E. Congressionals 30

F. Consumer Reference Materials 32

1\. Document Handling and Processing 32

2\. Electronic Comments Filing System 34

3\. Documents in Accessible Formats 35

**IV. Policy** 37

A. Consumer Issues 37

1\. Consumer/Disability Federal Advisory Committee 37

2\. Commission Proceedings 37

B. Disability Issues 39

1\. Commission Orders and Releases 39

2\. Other Disability-Related Matters 41

C. Native American Issues 42

**V. Looking Forward** 45

**Acknowledgements** 47

***FOREWORD***

***by William E. Kennard***

***Chairman, Federal Communications Commission***

One of my goals as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has
been to ensure the provision of telecommunications services to all
Americans, including traditionally unserved and underserved minorities.
To achieve this goal, I was privileged to provide leadership and
direction in the creation of a new Consumer Information Bureau (CIB) at
the Federal Communications Commission.

When I announced the creation of CIB on November 8, 1999, I indicated
that the Commission\'s decision to establish this bureau signaled the
enormous importance that consumer information will have as the agency's
role shifts from one that had traditionally regulated the
telecommunications industry to one that promotes competition and
facilitates new entrants into that industry. I am convinced today more
than ever that the explosive growth of the telecommunications industry
has justified our action.

Our conviction in creating CIB was that consumers could not fully
benefit from increased competition, and the resulting proliferation of
new services and devices, unless they had information that was adequate
to enable them to make informed choices. I announced that it would be
the overall mission of CIB to ensure that consumers are provided with
this information, and to ensure that this information is available and
accessible to everyone, including Native Americans, the Hispanic
community, individuals with disabilities, and other underserved
communities.

CIB also represents a consolidation of functions that had been scattered
across several other Commission units, including the Commission\'s
Gettysburg Consumer Center, the Public Service and Reference Operations
Divisions of the former Office of Public Affairs, the informal complaint
functions in the Wireless Telecommunications and Common Carrier Bureaus,
and the various offices which previously handled public information
requests throughout the Commission. This consolidation is part of our
effort to streamline the Commission\'s service to consumers, who now are
able to address all information requests to a single entity.

I appointed Lorraine C. Miller to be the first Chief of the Consumer
Information Bureau. Under her leadership, CIB forged the relationships
with consumers, industry, and other Commission bureaus and offices that
formed the foundation for CIB\'s initial successes. These successes were
continued under the leadership of Roderick K. Porter, CIB's Acting
Bureau Chief, and Karen Peltz Strauss, CIB's Deputy Bureau Chief.

The specific successes which CIB has achieved within the short time
since it was created are truly astounding. Among other things, the
bureau has completely eliminated a backlog of 66,937 informal complaints
concerning wireline telecommunications services, most of which dated
back several years. In fact, the original backlog of complaints in this
area started in the middle 1980's.

In its first year, CIB also responded to well over 300,000 inquiries
that required a written response. These inquiries were responded to
within 24 hours of receipt. CIB's prompt processing of these inquiries
demonstrates that consumers now receive faster and more efficient
service from the agency than ever before.

CIB also has made major strides in forging the strong relationships with
state and local governments that are needed to implement various
Commission mandates. For example, CIB played a critical role in
supporting a database pilot project called the State and National Action
Plan, through which ten states and the FCC share information about
slamming and cramming complaints and inquiries filed by consumers at
both the state and Federal levels. Similarly, CIB has created a
partnership with 33 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in
a combined effort to handle complaints filed under the agency's new
slamming rules. CIB is also working closely with the National
Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners to ensure that consumers
fully understand the impact of the Commission's new rules on long
distance detariffing. Finally, over the past year, CIB has provided
extensive information about consumer complaints received by the
Commission to several state offices of the attorney general for the
purpose of assisting those offices in their law enforcement objectives.

CIB ended its first year with the successful completion of work on
numerous proceedings designed to expand access to our nation\'s 54
million Americans with disabilities. Rules that overhaul the
Commission\'s mandates for relay service and create a nationwide,
uniform 711 relay access number will vastly improve telecommunications
access for individuals who have hearing or speech disabilities. New
mandates for access to emergency televised programming by individuals
with hearing or visual disabilities will save lives in the event of
hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, and other local crises. Requirements
for video description will allow individuals who have visual
disabilities to benefit from the information and entertainment provided
by televised programming. In addition, standards for digital closed
captioning will ensure that caption users are not forgotten as we make
the transition from analog to digital television programming.

CIB\'s achievements in reaching out to local and national communities
also are impressive. CIB provided extensive outreach and education on
Commission policies to hundreds of tribal governments and organizations
in Indian Country and worked closely with various Commission bureaus on
policies and programs to address the lack of telecommunications services
on these tribal lands. In addition, CIB hosted several major forums
throughout the year, providing a unique opportunity for consumers and
industry to share best practices on a number of issues, including those
concerning telephone billing and customer service.

CIB made special efforts to convey the Commission\'s message beyond the
\"Beltway\" by addressing consumer, industry, and governmental audiences
at over forty conferences across the nation in its first year. In its
efforts to facilitate consumer access to information about Commission
proceedings, the bureau also undertook a project to consolidate and
revise all of the Commission\'s nearly 200 fact sheets. Finally, the
bureau broke new ground in initiating the translation of its documents
into Spanish and Braille, and plans to continue this translation effort
by adding other languages, as appropriate.

CIB's first-year successes signal a promising future for consumers of
telecommunications services, as the bureau continues to explore new ways
to reach out to and meet the needs of all Americans, including the
Native American, Hispanic, and disability communities.

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**I. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE**

The Consumer Information Bureau consists of a front office and several
units which divide the overall responsibility for serving consumers.
Each of these units is described below.

**A. OFFICE OF THE BUREAU CHIEF**

CIB's front office, or Office of the Bureau Chief (OBC), in addition to
administering the Bureau, functions as a liaison between members of the
telecommunications industry and consumer groups. Toward this end, OBC
confers regularly with representatives of the telecommunications
industry, representatives of national consumer and senior citizen
groups, and state and local governmental associations, including the
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, National
Association of Attorneys General, and the National Association of State
Utility Consumer Advocates.

OBC also operates as the coordination point within the Commission for
consumer issues relating to telecommunications services. In this role,
OBC coordinates with other Bureaus and Offices to prepare
recommendations and proposals that take into consideration the specific
needs of consumers in an ever-changing telecommunications marketplace.
Among other things, OBC reviews relevant agenda items and other
documents to ensure that the documents support the Commission's overall
objectives to make our nation's communications technologies and services
available to all Americans.

OBC is responsible for handling information requests from a variety of
sources, including news media, consumer groups and Federal, state and
local enforcement agencies. The Office also handles an extensive number
of the agency's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. During the
past year, the Bureau responded to approximately 40 extensive FOIA
requests as well as 150 due diligence requests. Among these were
expansive requests from nine state offices of the Attorney General,
seeking information on complaints spanning a four-year period.

**B. CONSUMER EDUCATION OFFICE**

The Consumer Education Office (CEO) provides a wealth of information
which consumers can use in choosing their own telecommunications
services and products. CEO also develops and recommends policies and
programs designed to solicit public input on Commission policy-making
proceedings, to ensure that the Commission has the benefit of a wide
spectrum of information and viewpoints in its decision-making processes.
CEO accomplishes its goals in two ways: 1) by holding and attending
conferences, forums, tutorials, and other meetings to disseminate
information on Commission initiatives, and 2) by producing
consumer-friendly publications that explain Commission rules and polices
in plain English. All of CEO's informational materials are also
available in Spanish and Braille.

In addition to its own activities, CEO provides technical and writing
support to other Bureaus and Offices in their efforts to expand consumer
education about Commission regulatory programs. CEO works closely with
consumer-oriented groups, industry, and educational institutions to
promote consumer awareness of telecommunications issues.

**C. CONSUMER INFORMATION NETWORK DIVISION**

The Consumer Information Network Division (CIND) provides a "one-stop"
source for the general public (1) to obtain information about all FCC
rules, procedures, and polices, and (2) to file informal complaints
regarding problems they are experiencing with their wireline or wireless
service providers. With regard to general inquiries, CIND provides
consumers with accurate, up-to-date information promptly and
professionally through the use of integrated telephone, e-mail, and web
components. CIND also responds promptly to general inquiries received by
mail or fax. In addition, the division staff works in partnership with
Federal, state, and local governments and industries to establish
mechanisms to respond quickly and effectively to informal complaints and
issues from consumers.

CIND comprises three major components: the Gettysburg Consumer Center,
the Portals Consumer Center and the Informal Complaints Team. Every day,
between 8:00-5:30 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, representatives at the
two Consumer Centers respond to consumer telephone inquiries, take
complaints from consumers over the phone, serve informal complaints on
carriers, and respond to Congressional correspondence. These
representatives, called Consumer Advocacy and Mediation Specialists
(CAMS), are able to provide any information that consumers may need
regarding the telecommunications industry. CIND continually strives to
develop and implement improvements in its operations in order to meet
the challenges of the dynamic telecommunications industry and to serve
the interests of consumers. The following policies and practices have
been critical to CIND's ability to achieve these important goals:

-   **Timely Responses to General Telephone Inquiries.** The Consumer
    Center receives over one million general telephone inquiries
    annually. The goal of the Gettysburg and Portals Centers is to
    provide accurate and timely information in response to these
    inquiries. Most calls are resolved using the interactive voice
    response system (IVR) or by CAMS. If the requested information is
    not readily available, the CAMS escalate the question to senior
    staff or management and

# obtain the most reliable information to satisfy the consumer's question. The consumer receives a response with the appropriate information within 24 hours.

# **Timely Responses to FCCINFO (e-mail).** CIND's staff is required to respond to e-mail inquiries within 20 days. Currently, the division is far surpassing this objective with same-day responses to e-mail inquiries in many instances.

#  

# **Timely Processing of Informal Complaints.** CIB devotes a significant amount of its time to processing informal complaints filed by consumers who believe that they may have been wronged by the actions or omissions of a telecommunications entity. CIND offers consumers various means by which they may file informal complaints with the Commission. Specifically, CIND has implemented procedures that enable consumers to file complaints on the Internet, directly with CAMS via the phone, by fax, or by postal letter. Complaints filed by telephone or over the Internet are acknowledged by the staff within 24 hours and are served on the companies involved within one to two days of receipt. Paper complaints are served on carriers within ten days of receipt by the Commission. 

####### D. DISABILITIES RIGHTS OFFICE

In November of 1999, the Commission created a Disabilities Rights Office
(DRO) which, for the first time in the Commission's history, has
provided an institutional structure within the Commission to ensure that
consumers with disabilities have the same access to new
telecommunications products and services as persons without
disabilities. DRO works closely with other Bureaus and Offices to ensure
that the Commission as a whole develops rules and policies that are
consistent with the Commission's mandates on telecommunications access.
In addition, DRO provides extensive outreach and education to the
general public on accessibility and nondiscrimination laws and responds
to over a thousand inquiries and informal complaints concerning
telecommunications access on an annual basis. Finally, DRO ensures that
alternative formats of Commission materials are available to individuals
with disabilities, and coordinates training opportunities for Commission
staff on accessibility issues.

**E. LIAISON TO TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS**

Since January of 2000, CIB has been actively involved in the
Commission's regulatory and outreach efforts with respect to Federal
laws and policies on American Indian tribes and Alaskan Native Villages.
In September of 2000, the position of Liaison to Tribal Governments was
created within the Office of the Bureau Chief, enabling the Bureau to
assume a leadership role in the Commission's efforts to expand
telecommunications services to and within Indian Country. Toward this
end, the Bureau works closely with tribal governments and organizations,
other state and Federal agencies (including other Federal agency tribal
liaisons), industry, and other interested parties on Commission rules,
policies, services, and developments related to tribal lands.

**F. REFERENCE INFORMATION CENTER**

CIB's Reference Information Center (RIC) is the official Commission
custodian for designated records. The Center provides a convenient,
central location for members of the general public wishing to research
and obtain record information on applications, formal and informal
proceedings, and FCC programs and activities. RIC handles the intake,
processing, organization, maintenance, retrieval, and retirement of this
record information. RIC's customers are varied; they include industry
associations, attorneys, academic researchers, and individual consumers.
RIC also is responsible for managing and maintaining the Electronic
Comment Filing System. This system, which allows comments to be filed
with the Commission from remote locations, facilitates public
participation in Commission proceedings.

**G. STRATEGIC INFORMATION OFFICE**

The Strategic Information Office (SIO) was created to develop a
coordinated system of gathering and validating information designed to
reach consumers through the Bureau's Gettysburg and Portals Consumer
Centers. In order to achieve this objective, SIO has established
contacts and liaisons in the front offices of each Bureau and Office and
developed processes and procedures to ensure that all information going
to consumers is current, accurate, and consistent. Among other things,
SIO has initiated an annual, comprehensive review of all "SCIMS" in the
Bureau's database. SCIMS are the more than 800 scripts used by Consumer
Center personnel to provide members of the public with accurate
information about Commission rules and policies. SIO coordinates with
each of the Commission's Bureaus and Offices to update and edit each of
these SCIMS. SIO also maintains the Commission's Fact Sheet Directory,
and works with offices throughout the Commission to ensure that fact
sheets distributed to consumers are accurate, up-to-date, and concise.

In addition, SIO is charged with collecting and analyzing information
received in the Bureau from incoming consumer complaints and inquiries,
in order to discern trends and patterns reflecting areas of consumer
concern and interest. For example, SIO worked with the Bureau's Systems
Support Office to implement the first ever tool to track and report on
the subject matters of all calls coming into the Bureau's interactive
voice response system. In this fashion, SIO serves as an early warning
system for the Commission with respect to consumer issues that need the
Commission's attention.

SIO creates a number of reports, which assist the Commission in its
efforts to keep abreast of FCC developments and consumer concerns. These
include:

-   A weekly report, distributed to CIB management, which provides a
    breakdown, by subject, of the top 10 calls and e-mails coming into
    the Consumer Centers and the Disability Rights Office.

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-   A bi-weekly document, "Open Proceedings," summarizing all FCC
    proceedings which are open for comment. This document contains
    comment deadlines and contacts, and is available to the public
    through our website and in hard copy upon request.

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-   A monthly document for internal use, the "FCC Round Up," listing and
    summarizing all of the agency's activities and rulemakings.

####### 

####### H. SYSTEMS SUPPORT OFFICE

## 

## The Systems Support Office (SSO) is charged with providing systems maintenance and user support for all of the systems and information technology (IT) infrastructure associated with CIB's responsibility to process consumer inquiries and informal complaints. Specifically, SSO is responsible for the design, development, accessibility, and coordination of the Bureau's computer hardware, software, and database systems. SSO's goals are to ensure the availability, integrity, accuracy, and confidentiality of the information maintained in these systems. 

## 

## SSO is also responsible for overseeing CIB's webpage and for coordinating with the Managing Director's Information Technology Center on cross-cutting activities, including the development of the FCC's Information Strategic Plan and the establishment of the agency's enterprise IT architecture. Other SSO functions include developing statements of work for contract services, contract administration and oversight, information security, information technology assessment, and life cycle management. 

One of SSO's many responsibilities is to manage the Consumer Center's
interactive voice response (IVR) system. Because it is often the first
contact the public has with the FCC, the IVR system must convey a clear
and concise set of options to satisfy customer needs. SSO is charged
with re-designing the system as it now exists, to ensure that callers
receive convenient and personalized service when contacting the
Commission.

Finally, SSO is charged with working with other FCC Bureaus and Offices
to ensure compliance with Section 508 standards, which contain mandates
for access to the Commission's information and electronic technologies
for citizens and government

workers with disabilities.

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II. **OUTREACH AND EDUCATION**

A primary goal of CIB is to enhance the public's understanding of the
Commission's regulatory programs. During the year 2000, CIB worked to
ensure that effective outreach and education were conducted for three
proceedings in particular -- Coalition for Affordable Local and
Long-Distance Service (CALLS), detariffing, and slamming (see pp. 37-38
[infra]{.underline}). Agency revisions in the rules governing these
issues brought changes in consumer rights and responsibilities. In order
to ensure that consumers received full knowledge of these changes, CIB
worked closely with the industry, consumers, and the Common Carrier
Bureau to develop clear and concise educational materials.

In addition to its work on CALLS, detariffing, and slamming, CIB
conducted a variety of other activities to increase consumer awareness.
Specifically, CIB conducted various consumer forums for the purpose of
educating and soliciting feedback from consumers, industry, and local
governments; spoke or presented exhibits at numerous conferences
nationwide on consumer, disability, and Indian affairs; prepared a wide
variety of publications and other informational materials in English,
Spanish, and Braille; and developed accessible electronic materials for
distribution of its materials to the general public. Each of these
activities is described below.

**A. FORUMS AND CONFERENCES**

**1. Events Hosted by CIB**

Over the past year, CIB hosted several forums designed to share
information about the Commission's regulatory programs and to solicit
feedback from consumers, industry and state regulators on Commission
activities. A description of these events follows:

**Telecommunications Relay Services Fair**

**Commission headquarters, Washington, D.C.**

**February 17, 2000**

> In February of 2000, the Commission released new rules designed to
> improve our nation's telecommunications relay services (TRS). Relay
> services use operators called communications assistants to facilitate
> telephone communications between and among individuals who are deaf,
> hard of hearing, speech disabled, and hearing. On February 17, 2000,
> CIB held a TRS Fair in conjunction with the release of the new TRS
> rules. The Fair provided an opportunity for TRS providers, equipment
> manufacturers, community organizations, and consumers to share
> information on new technologies and innovations for all types of relay
> services.

**Telecommunications Relay Services Forum**

**Commission headquarters, Washington, D.C.**

**March 10, 2000**

> The Commission's new rules on TRS expand the definition of relay
> services to include speech-to-speech relay, Spanish language relay,
> and video relay. The rules also establish new standards for relay
> service quality, which, among other things, set guidelines for
> operator typing speeds, modify call answer times, and revise mandates
> for emergency access. In March of 2000, CIB held a public forum in
> order to clarify the scope and content of these new mandates. The
> forum proved to be extremely useful in providing state administrators
> and relay providers from all over the country with the information
> they need to effectively implement the Commission's revised rules.
>
> **Consumer Billing Practices**

**Commission headquarters, Washington, D.C.**

> **March 29, 2000**
>
> In March of 2000, CEO produced a forum, co-sponsored by the National
> Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, on consumer billing
> practices. This forum provided an opportunity for industry members,
> state regulatory agencies, and consumer groups to share information
> and to discuss ways to develop telephone bills that are easy to
> understand. Among other things, the forum provided an opportunity for
> CIB to share information about customer preferences that had been
> received from consumers through its Consumer Centers. Representatives
> from over a dozen telephone companies attended the forum, and received
> considerable feedback on their billing formats from CIB and consumer
> groups.
>
> **Telephone Customer Service Forum**

**Commission headquarters, Washington, D.C.**

> **June 9, 2000**

# In June of 2000, CIB held a national forum on telephone company customer service. The forum was designed to provide feedback to telephone company top management on the effectiveness of their customer service centers, and to receive a commitment from these carriers to improve upon their customer service. Panelists at the forum included WRC-TV\'s consumer reporter, Liz Crenshaw; President of Call for Action, Shirley Rooker; and representatives from the senior, Hispanic and disability communities, all of whom shared their customer service experiences and challenged local, long distance, and wireless telephone companies to initiate efforts to better serve consumers. Following the forum, CIB's Consumer Center participated in a WRC-TV, Channel 4 call-in forum for several hours, in which consumer representatives accepted "live" telecommunications-related calls from consumers throughout Channel 4's viewing area. 

> **Hispanic Issues Forum**

**Commission headquarters, Washington, D.C.**

> **October 11, 2000**
>
> In October of 2000, for the first time in the Commission's history,
> CIB hosted a forum designed to address telecommunications issues of
> particular interest to Hispanic consumers. The forum, opened by
> Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) and attended by the Chairman and
> three additional FCC Commissioners, featured speakers from Hispanic
> non-profit organizations, local governments, the telecommunications
> industry, and Commission Bureaus. Topics addressed were the digital
> divide, low power FM radio, and general customer service to the
> Hispanic community. The forum set a new precedent at the Commission by
> providing simultaneous translation of all presentations in English and
> Spanish through use of United Nations-style translation headsets.
> Segments of the forum were also broadcast over the Hispanic Radio
> Network, a national network of Spanish-speaking radio stations.
>
> **Indian Telecommunications Training Initiative 2000 Conference (ITTI
> 2000)**
>
> **St. Paul, Minnesota**
>
> **September 24-28, 2000**
>
> CIB worked closely with representatives of the Wireless
> Telecommunications Bureau, the Common Carrier Bureau, the
> International Bureau, the Office of General Counsel, and the Office of
> Communications Business Opportunities in the planning and development
> of this very successful conference on telecommunications access by
> Indian country. Over 575 persons from over 135 tribes attended ITTI
> 2000. At the conference, numerous Federal government agencies and
> industry manufacturers and carriers combined with FCC officials to
> provide a unique experience for tribal government representatives to
> learn about telecommunications technologies, options, and
> opportunities that can assist them in addressing the lack of
> telecommunications services on tribal lands.

**2. Presentations by CIB Staff**

During the year 2000, CIB staff gave a number of presentations at forums
and conferences to expand awareness about the Commission's consumer
outreach programs, its disability mandates, and its efforts to expand
telephone service in Native American communities. CIB made these
presentations at the following conferences and events:

***Table 1. List of Conferences and Events by Month***

+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Month**        | **Description**                                   |
+==================+===================================================+
| **January 2000** | **Local and State Government Advisory Committee,  |
|                  | FCC** Washington, DC                              |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **February       | **National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation |
| 2000**           | Research**                                        |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | **Interagency Committee on Disability Research**  |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **ADA Business Technical Assistance Center for    |
|                  | Region V** Southwest US (via teleconference)      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Consumer Action Network**                       |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Fairfax, VA                                       |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Council of Organizational Representatives**     |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Rockville, MD                                     |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **ADA Technical Assistance Program Project**      |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Pentagon City, VA                                 |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **March 2000**   | **Alliance for Public Technology -- Susan G.      |
|                  | Hadden**                                          |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | **Awards**                                        |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **National Association of Regulatory Utility      |
|                  | Commissioners**                                   |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, D.C.                                  |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **National Association of State Relay             |
|                  | Administrators** Alexandria, VA                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Gallaudet University: Equal Access to           |
|                  | Communications for Deaf and Hard of Hearing       |
|                  | People: The Role of the FCC** Washington, DC      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **April 2000**   | **Cellular Telecommunications Industry            |
|                  | Association**                                     |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | **Section 255 Workshop -- Making the Connection** |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, D.C.                                  |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **May 2000**     | **Federal Communications Commission --            |
|                  | Presentation on**                                 |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | **universal design and accessibility to delegates |
|                  | from Uganda, Ghana, and South Africa**            |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc. -    |
|                  | Annual Conference**                               |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Harrisburg, PA                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **American Association of Retired Persons -       |
|                  | Annual Conference**                               |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Orlando, FL                                       |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Federal Communications Commission -- training   |
|                  | session on disability access and Section 255      |
|                  | (through Enforcement Bureau)**                    |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | ### Wa                                            |
|                  | shington DC Tribal Diplomatic Corps -- group repr |
|                  | esenting the Chickasaw Nation, Navajo Nation, Moh |
|                  | egan Tribe, Pasqua Yaqui Tribe, Mashantucket Pequ |
|                  | ot Tribe, and the United South and Eastern Tribes |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington DC Office of the Navajo Nation         |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **June 2000**    | **Designing for the 21^st^ Century II: An         |
|                  | International Conference on Universal Design**    |
|                  | (Assisted and accompanied Chairman in his         |
|                  | presentation)                                     |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Providence, RI                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **International Association of Audio Information  |
|                  | Services** Washington, D.C.                       |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Gallaudet University's Conference on Accessible |
|                  | Voice Systems and Services**                      |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, D.C.                                  |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Spirit of the ADA Torch Relay** (Assisted and   |
|                  | accompanied Chairman in his presentation)         |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Los Angeles, CA                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **National Council on Disability**                |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **July 2000**    | **National Association of the Deaf - Biennial     |
|                  | Conference** Norfolk, VA                          |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Gallaudet University's Conference on Diversity  |
|                  | & Change: The American Deaf Community**           |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, D.C.                                  |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Alexander Graham Bell Association - Annual      |
|                  | Convention** Philadelphia, PA                     |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **President's Task Force on Employment of Adults  |
|                  | with Disabilities -- Subcommittee on Technology** |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, D.C.                                  |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Sprint State Telecommunications Relay           |
|                  | Administrators** Helena, MT (via videoconference) |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **ADA 10^th^ Year Celebration**                   |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, D.C.                                  |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **First Annual Alaskan Small Business             |
|                  | Conference** Anchorage, AK                        |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **August 2000**  | **U.S. Department of Justice ADA Technical        |
|                  | Coordinating**                                    |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | **Committee**                                     |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Department of Justice Indian Country            |
|                  | Informational Technology Briefing**               |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Santa Fe, NM                                      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **September      | **National Rehabilitation Association - Annual    |
| 2000**           | Conference**                                      |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Cleveland, OH                                     |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Alliance for Public Technology, Models for      |
|                  | Success: Section 255 Conference**                 |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Federal Communications Commission --            |
|                  | Presentation on video description to Korea Blind  |
|                  | Union**                                           |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **October 2000** | **Consumer Electronics Association**              |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | San Francisco, CA                                 |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Department of Commerce Digital Inclusion Tour** |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | (Assisted and accompanied Commissioner Tristani)  |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Santa Fe, NM                                      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Consumer Federation of America**                |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **November       | **National Easter Seals Conference** (Assisted    |
| 2000**           | and accompanied Chairman in presentation)         |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Los Angeles, CA                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **Local and State Government Advisory Committee,  |
|                  | FCC**                                             |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **National Business Leadership Network - Annual   |
|                  | Conference**                                      |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Seattle, WA                                       |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **National Congress of American Indians - Annual  |
|                  | Meeting and Digital Divide Summit**               |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | St. Paul, MN                                      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **December       | **Perspectives on Employment of Persons with      |
| 2000**           | Disabilities**                                    |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | (Assisted and accompanied Chairman in             |
|                  | presentation)                                     |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Bethesda, MD                                      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **National Consumers League**                     |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington, DC                                    |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
|                  | **National Tribal Telephone Association**         |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Gila River Indian Community, NM (via              |
|                  | teleconference)                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Quarterly      | **White House Domestic Policy Council Working     |
| meetings**       | Group on**                                        |
|                  |                                                   |
| **during 2000**  | **American Indians and Alaskan Natives**          |
|                  | (Represented the                                  |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Commission on this working group of the Federal   |
|                  | agencies'                                         |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | tribal offices and liaisons)                      |
|                  |                                                   |
|                  | Washington D.C.                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

**B. PUBLICATIONS**

**1. CIB Productions**

During the year 2000, CIB produced a number of publications designed to
facilitate consumer understanding of FCC programs and rules. These
publications are now available in Spanish, English, and Braille, and
will be translated into other languages, as needed, in the future. They
have been distributed at conferences and meetings held both inside and
outside of the Commission, and through consumer, industry, and
governmental offices, including the National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners, and state offices of the Attorney General.

# Publications designed and developed by CIB in the year 2000 include: 

> **What We\'re All About.** A 27-page overview of the Federal
> Communications Commission, including a summary of the agency\'s
> functions, its operating structure, its procedures, and useful
> contacts.
>
> **Slamming the Slammer.** An explanation of the illegal practice of
> changing a consumer\'s telephone service without permission and a
> discussion of the consumer\'s rights and remedies when slammed.

## Making Sense of Long-Distance Advertising. A discussion of how to evaluate the various long-distance plans offered to consumers.

## Market Sense-Cell Phones: Facts-Fiction-Frequency. An overview of cellular services containing explanations of the varied services (analog and digital), disability access, and cell-phone pricing plans.

## Detariffing Interstate Long-Distance Telephone Service. A discussion of the Commission\'s initiative to replace filed tariffs with individual contractual relationships between long-distance telephone companies and consumers. 

## Low Power FM Radio: An Applicant\'s Guide. A guide for entrepreneurs interested in owning and operating a Low Power FM Radio station (brochure initially prepared by Mass Media Bureau).

> **Consumer's Guide to TRS -- Electronic.** This electronic guide,
> available at [www.fcc.gov/cib/dro](../www.fcc.gov/cib/dro), provides
> comprehensive information about the various types of relay services --
> text/voice, video, and speech-to-speech relay services -- and
> summarizes the Commission's mandates with respect to these services.
>
> **Consumer Tips on Filing Section 255 Complaints -- Electronic.** This
> electronic guide, available at
> [www.fcc.gov/cib/dro](../www.fcc.gov/cib/dro), provides useful
> information for individuals who wish to file informal complaints with
> the Commission under Section 255 of the Communications Act, which
> requires telecommunications products or services to be accessible to
> individuals with disabilities.

CIB has also taken the lead in arranging for the Spanish translation of
Commission publications prepared by other Bureaus and Offices, including
facts sheets on the V-Chip, Obscenity and Indecency in Broadcasting, and
Universal Service Support for Lifeline/Link Up programs.

# **2. Other Publications**

In 2000, CIB initiated a project to re-draft all of the consumer fact
sheets prepared by the Commission's various other Bureaus and Offices.
The purpose of this project was to ensure that all of the FCC's fact
sheets are written in plain English for easy understanding by consumers,
who are often unfamiliar with Commission legal and technical jargon.
CIB's objective is to ensure that these fact sheets are consistent,
concise, and current. In addition, CIB has developed color-coded
templates for the fact sheets for easy recognition and updating by CIB
and other Bureaus and Offices.

In order to facilitate access to information by both the general public
and Commission staff, in its first year, CIB also compiled and published
the Commission's first Fact Sheet Directory. This directory contains a
comprehensive listing of all of the agency's consumer documents,
including pertinent Internet links for each of these documents. The
directory lists 188 fact sheets from all of the Commission's Bureaus and
Offices, and will be updated twice each year.

During the course of 2000, CIB staff occasionally prepared articles for
outside publication as well. These included articles for Enable Magazine
and Telecommunications of the Deaf, Inc.'s TTY directory, as well as
camera-ready articles on slamming and detariffing for widespread
publication.

**C. WEB ACCESS**

CIB is aware that consumers are coming to rely increasingly upon the
Internet as a fast and effective means of acquiring information. Toward
this end, CIB devoted considerable effort in the year 2000 to ensure
that the information it produces is made available through electronic
means. During this year:

-   CIB designed, developed and posted a new web page, with links to all
    consumer-oriented documents and easy links for consumers to e-mail
    the Bureau. Like the hard copy publications, the web site offers
    consumers an opportunity to read about the Commission\'s actions and
    offerings in a plain English language format. During the last
    quarter of calendar year 2000, CIB's website received nearly
    one-half million hits on its most popular web pages. These pages
    provided general information on Commission bureaus and functions, as
    well as specific information on religious broadcasting, filing
    informal complaints, disability access, television interference,
    unsolicited faxes, telephone surcharges, and broadband access.

-   CIB issued and managed a \$160,000.00 contract for an evaluation and
    report on the performance of the Commission's Electronic Comment
    Filing System (ECFS). ECFS permits consumers to file comments on any
    of the Commission's rulemaking proceedings electronically from
    remote locations. The recommendations of this report will be used to
    improve the reliability and performance of ECFS, for expanded public
    access and participation in Commission proceedings.

```{=html}
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```
-   CIB coordinated with other Commission divisions and task forces to
    ensure in-house accessibility by people with disabilities to
    electronic technologies. This included work on the Commission's
    Section 508 plan with the Office of Managing Director and work with
    the FCC Internet Working Group to ensure access to Commission
    websites.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   CIB launched a new web page for its Disabilities Rights Office -
    <http://www.fcc.gov/cib/dro> - containing extensive information and
    links on emergency access, relay services, captioning, video
    description, hearing aid compatibility, volume control, wireless
    access, and other telecommunications access issues. The website
    provides information concerning specific activities of the
    Commission that may affect individuals with disabilities, including
    rulemakings (and comments), public notices, consumer forums, pending
    mergers, and Commissioner statements. Information about how to reach
    the FCC and hyperlinks to relevant proceedings and state agencies
    are also provided. In calendar year 2000, this website averaged over
    8,000 hits per month.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   CIB expanded its DROInfo e-mail list of recipients, an electronic
    information mailing list used to distribute regular updates to
    consumers, organizations, industry, and local governments on the
    Commission's telecommunications access mandates. Information on this
    list is distributed to thousands of individuals nationwide through
    numerous electronic listserves.

-   CIB activated an electronic mailbox specifically designed to receive
    inquiries and complaints from the general public related to
    disability access -- <fccinfo@fcc.gov>. During the year 2000,
    approximately one thousand consumers used this site to send their
    concerns to CIB's Disabilities Rights Office via e-mail.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   CIB assisted in the launching of a beta version of in-house
    real-time Internet captioning, to make FCC Open Meetings publicly
    accessible to Internet users with hearing disabilities.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   CIB launched the development of two new web pages for point of
    contact lists. The lists, for (1) telecommunications service
    providers and manufacturers covered under Section 255 and (2) relay
    service state administrators covered under Section 225, are designed
    to facilitate the ability of consumers to resolve disputes directly
    with companies prior to coming to the Commission.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The Bureau advised and assisted the Wireless Bureau in the creation
    and management of the FCC Indian Initiatives website, which links
    all information related to Commission efforts in Indian Country. The
    website includes rulemakings, public notices, and ITTI 2000
    conference information.

![](media/image2.wmf){width="1.5in" height="1.4in"}

**III. OPERATIONS**

The Bureau has achieved extraordinary successes in handling consumer
complaints and inquiries since its creation in November 1999:

**A. CONSUMER INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS**

# **Elimination of the Informal Complaints Backlog**. When the Bureau was established on November 8, 1999, it inherited an exceedingly large backlog of unresolved informal consumer complaints - 66,937 complaints in all - which had been pending at the Commission for several years. The backlog threatened to consume a large share of the new Bureau's resources at the expense of other important consumer-related goals and initiatives. To address the problem, the Bureau implemented an innovative plan which included a re-deployment of staff and resources, incentive awards, and team building exercises to motivate and unify staff. As illustrated in Table 2 and Figure 1 below, through the dedication and extraordinary efforts of CIND employees, the Bureau was able to eliminate the longstanding backlog of informal complaints by the middle of September 2000. 

# 

# Since elimination of the backlog, CIND has remained current in its handling of all informal complaints. As discussed earlier (p. 3 infra) complaints filed by telephone or over the Internet are served on carriers within one to two days of receipt. Paper complaints are served within ten days of receipt, as compared to a previous Bureau average processing time of several months. 

# 

+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| ***Table 2.        |                          |                      |
| Elimination of     |                          |                      |
| InformalCo         |                          |                      |
| mplaints/Inquiries |                          |                      |
| Backlog***         |                          |                      |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| **Calendar Year    | **Number of Processed    | **Number of Backlog  |
| 2000 (By           | Backlog Complaints**     | Complaints           |
| Quarter)**         |                          | Remaining**          |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| 4^th^ Quarter 1999 | 4,927                    | 62,010               |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| 1^st^ Quarter 2000 | 9,058                    | 52,952               |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| 2^nd^ Quarter 2000 | 34,490                   | 18,462               |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| 3^rd^ Quarter      | 18,462                   | 0                    |
| 2000\*             |                          |                      |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| 4^th^ Quarter      | *Backlog eliminated*     | 0                    |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| **Total \*\***     | **66,937**               |                      |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+
| *\* Backlog        |                          |                      |
| eliminated         |                          |                      |
| September 11,      |                          |                      |
| 2000.*             |                          |                      |
|                    |                          |                      |
| *\*\* The Bureau   |                          |                      |
| began the 4^th^    |                          |                      |
| quarter with no    |                          |                      |
| backlog for the    |                          |                      |
| first time since   |                          |                      |
| the mid 1980's.*   |                          |                      |
+--------------------+--------------------------+----------------------+

![](media/image6.wmf)

-   **Complaint and Inquiry Disposals.** CIND strives to process all
    complaints and inquiries in a prompt, courteous, and effective
    manner. Table 3 and Figure 2 depict the number of complaints and
    inquiries that CIND closed each quarter of calendar year 2000. As
    shown below, CIB closed over 100,000 complaint and inquiry cases
    each quarter.

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| ***Table 3. Complaints and        |                                   |
| Inquiries Closed***               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Calendar Year 2000 (by         |                                   |
| Quarter)***                       |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **Calendar Year 2000**            | **Closed**                        |
|                                   |                                   |
| **(By Quarter)**                  |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| 1^st^ Quarter                     | 119,975                           |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| 2^nd^ Quarter                     | 139,277                           |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| 3^rd^ Quarter                     | 113,874                           |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| 4^th^ Quarter                     | 102,966                           |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **Totals**                        | **476,092**                       |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

![](media/image7.wmf)

-   **Specialized Complaint Procedures/Slamming.** Slamming is the
    unlawful practice of changing a consumer's telecommunications
    carrier without his or her knowledge or permission. In December
    1998, the FCC adopted new rules to combat the problem of slamming by
    telecommunications service providers. Among other things, the new
    rules contain procedures for determining whether a
    telecommunications carrier is liable for slamming and also provide a
    remedy for consumers who have been slammed.

> An important feature of the new slamming rules is that they establish
> a framework for a partnership between the Commission and state utility
> commissions to combat slamming at the Federal and state levels. Under
> the Commission's new rules, states may elect, or "opt in," to enforce
> the Commission's slamming liability rules. Slamming complaints filed
> by consumers in "opt-in" states are handled by that state's agency in
> the first instance. Slamming complaints filed by consumers in states
> that have not opted in are handled by CIND. CIND employees have
> actively met with representatives of state utility Commissions to
> discuss and coordinate state enforcement of the new slamming rules. To
> date, 33 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have
> opted to enforce the FCC's slamming rules.
>
> To ensure the expeditious handling of slamming complaints and the
> prompt referral of slamming complaints to the opt-in states, in the
> year 2000, the Bureau
>
> established a "Slamming Response Team" within CIND. The Team ensures
> that all complaints are forwarded on a weekly basis to states that
> have opted in, and generally coordinates with state commission staff
> to ensure consistent implementation of the slamming rules. CIND also
> provides guidance to consumers who need to supplement their complaints
> in order to avail themselves of the remedies provided under the
> slamming rules.

**B. CONSUMER CENTERS**

**1. Calls to 888-CALLFCC (voice)/888-TELLFCC (TTY)**

The Consumer Information Bureau is the primary point of contact for
consumers desiring information about the FCC's policies, programs and
activities. The Bureau has two toll-free consumer hotline numbers - one
for voice and one for TTY. In calendar year 2000, the Bureau received
over 1,140,000 calls placed initially to its hotline numbers. A
significant number of these calls (57%) were processed by the Bureau's
interactive voice response (IVR) system. Trained CIB staff were
available to take calls from consumers desiring live interaction.

**2. Speed of Answer**

During the latter part of calendar year 2000, as part of its effort to
improve service to consumers, the Bureau conducted a comprehensive
evaluation of its call-taking operations. The Bureau concluded that
while consumers are able to access valuable information maintained by
the FCC by dialing 888-CALLFCC and 888-TELLFCC, consumers often are
required to wait for an unacceptable period of time before their call is
connected to a live person. Table 6 below depicts the average connection
wait time for consumers dialing these numbers during the fourth quarter
calendar year 2000. As illustrated in Table 4 and Figure 4, staffing and
system changes implemented by CIB in the fourth quarter resulted in a
30-second reduction in call wait average time by the end of the quarter.
Additional changes are planned for the first quarter of calendar year
2001 to substantially reduce call wait times even further. The Bureau's
goal is to answer at least 85 % of all calls to 888-CALLFCC and
888-TELLFCC in less than 60 seconds in the near term. Ultimately, the
average response time will be reduced to less than 30 seconds.

  ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------
  ***Table 4. Call Response Time***        

  **Fourth Quarter 2000 (month)**          **Response Time (Minutes)**

  October                                  3:40

  November                                 3:47

  December                                 3:11
  ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------

![](media/image9.wmf)

**3. Processing Telephone Calls From Consumers**

In calendar year 2000 the Bureau used two principal tools for tracking
the subject matter of telephone calls placed to the Commission by
consumers: (1) Expert Advisor, a software package which enabled the
staff to record information about the subject matter of calls handled by
CIND employees, and (2) an interactive voice response (IVR) system which
allowed callers to access automated information about particular topics
rather than speaking to a CIND employee. The Bureau's principal goals in
utilizing these two systems have been twofold: first, to glean from
telephone calls to the Commission information about the impact of
industry practices and policies on consumers; and second, to enable the
Bureau to issue early warnings or alerts to the Commissioners and other
Bureau offices if it appears, based on the volume or frequency of calls,
that consumers are being harmed.

**C. SYSTEMS SUPPORT**

During the Bureau's first full year of existence, CIB was charged with
managing the disparate array of information technology and legacy
systems that it had inherited from other FCC organizations. Towards this
end, CIB's Systems Support Office (SSO) initially used a triage approach
to solving problems in meeting end user requirements for delivering
customer service. SSO also was involved with longer-term tactical and
strategic planning for improving key components of the Bureau's IT
infrastructure. During calendar year 2000, CIB made a number of inroads
towards achieving full integration of its various database and IT
functions:

-   **Consumer Information Management System.** CIB has intentionally
    set the bar high in its quest for delivering world class customer
    service. The key to improving customer service lies in capturing all
    of the information that is received by CIB's input mediums in a
    user-friendly way with a single processing system. In calendar year
    2000, CIB worked with the Commission\'s Information Technology
    Center to develop the blueprint for a new system, called the
    Consumer Information Management System (CIMS), that would accomplish
    this objective. CIMS represents CIB\'s long-term strategic plan to
    completely reinvent CIB\'s Consumer Center processes and to
    strengthen CIB's ability to be the FCC\'s primary source of
    information to the public. By reengineering the Bureau\'s business
    processes and modernizing its information technology, CIMS will
    consolidate multiple individual databases and legacy applications
    used by the Bureau\'s Consumer Centers into a single integrated
    database and architectural platform. The diagram in Figure 5 below
    captures a sense of the comprehensive nature of CIB\'s objectives in
    migrating to CIMS.

![](media/image10.wmf)

> CIMS is nearing the end of the initiation phase, and will ultimately
> use \"best-of-breed\" commercially-available, off-the-shelf technology
> for its new system. CIB foresees the implementation of CIMS to be
> completed in the FY2002 time frame.

-   **Tivoli Migration.** Since its inception, the Bureau has relied
    upon a consumer help desk software package called Expert Advisor to
    assist consumers with questions or concerns about their telephone
    service and associated issues. However, Expert Advisor has ceased to
    be a product supported by its manufacturer. As a consequence, in
    2000, CIB needed to migrate to a newer product called Tivoli. The
    first stage of this migration project involved an analysis of Expert
    Advisor in order to document how it had been customized to meet
    CIB's needs. Among other things, this analysis revealed that certain
    features of Expert Advisor were no longer needed. CIB removed these
    features and is in the process of migrating a streamlined version of
    Expert Advisor to the more modern Tivoli system.

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-   **SNAP Database.** In 2000, SSO played a critical role in supporting
    the State and National Action Plan (SNAP), a joint Federal/state
    database pilot project approved by the Commission and the National
    Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). The SNAP
    database was intended to provide the ten participating states and
    the FCC with a single searchable repository of information
    concerning slamming and cramming complaints and inquiries filed at
    the state and Federal levels by consumers. The database will be
    instrumental in furthering the FCC's and the participating states'
    efforts to develop consistent, coordinated plans and strategies for
    quickly identifying and addressing slamming and cramming practices,
    in order to minimize or prevent harm to consumers.

```{=html}
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```
-   **Information and Computer Security.** Recently, the Commission
    developed a draft policy on information and computer security,
    reflecting the heightened concern on this subject pervading the
    Federal government as a whole. At the close of 2000, SSO began to
    take lead responsibility for providing further IT security guidance
    on behalf of the Bureau.

**D. DISABILITY INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS**

CIB's Disabilities Rights Office (DRO) responds to a wide variety of
inquiries for general and specific disability-related telecommunications
information. In the year 2000, DRO provided assistance and technical
information to consumers in all fifty states and the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. DRO also receives all
informal complaints to the Commission about matters pertaining to
telecommunications access by individuals with disabilities. Typically,
DRO staff attempt to resolve these complaints through informal mediation
with companies. Where a resolution is not possible, DRO serves
complaints upon carriers or telecommunications manufacturers.

**1. Number of Inquiries and Complaints**

The chart below shows the total number of requests for assistance on
matters related to disability access during calendar year 2000. This
total does not include the hundreds of comments received on rulemaking
proceedings, which needed to be forwarded to other Bureaus and Offices,
nor does it include requests for Commission materials in alternative
formats. The numbers of inquiries and complaints from consumers to DRO
increased steadily over the year as a result of growing awareness of the
existence of DRO. Staff presentations, expansion of the DRO website, and
expansion of the "DRO Info" electronic free information service most
likely contributed to this growth.

![](media/image11.wmf)

  ------------------------------------ ----------------------------------
  ***Table 5. Number of Entities       
  Served by Quarter during Calendar    
  Year 2000***                         

  **Quarter**                          **Number of Entities Served**

  First                                192

  Second                               239

  Third                                365

  Fourth                               389

  **Total**                            **1,185**
  ------------------------------------ ----------------------------------

**2. Area of Disability-Related Concerns**

The following table provides information on the various
disability-related subject matters for which DRO was contacted, with
respect to matters within the Commission's jurisdiction. This breakdown
does not include topics that were forwarded to other bureaus (satellite
dish placement, slamming, cramming, *etc.*) or those which were referred
for resolution outside the Commission. Section 255 inquiries and
complaints, covering issues concerning access to telecommunications
products and services, dominated consumer topics in calendar year 2000.
This resulted from the Commission's release of rules implementing
Section 255 of the Communications Act just before the start of this
year. Relay services represented the second largest category of consumer
contacts, most likely because the Commission overhauled its relay
service rules in March 2000. Closed captioning and hearing aid
compatibility continued to be major issues of concern for consumers with
hearing disabilities, and video description mandates and rules governing
emergency access to television programming released during the summer of
2000 generated a considerable number of inquiries and concerns as well.

+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| ***Table 6. Calendar Year  |                                 |       |
| 2000 Complaints***         |                                 |       |
|                            |                                 |       |
| ***and Inquiries by Area   |                                 |       |
| of Disability Related      |                                 |       |
| Concerns***                |                                 |       |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| **Area of Disability**     | **Category Includes**           | **%** |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| Section 255                | Scope, points of contact,       | 28    |
|                            | solutions                       |       |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| Telecommunications Relay   | Text/voice relay service,       | 20    |
| Services                   | speech to speech, video relay   |       |
|                            | service, 711                    |       |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| Closed Captioning          | Digital TV, FCC non-emergency   | 17    |
|                            | closed captioning schedules     |       |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| Hearing Aid Compatibility  | Access to wireline and wireless | 13    |
| (HAC)                      | telephones, volume control      |       |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| Video Description          | Scope of coverage               | 7     |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| Emergency Access           | Emergency captioning, 911       | 7     |
|                            | Access                          |       |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| Convergence                | Broadband/Internet/computer     | 4     |
|                            | access/interoperability,        |       |
|                            | non-255 issues                  |       |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+
| Universal Service          | Lifeline-Link-up, E-Rate        | 4     |
+----------------------------+---------------------------------+-------+

![](media/image12.wmf)

**3. Method of Service Preferred by Consumer**

DRO makes it easy for consumers with all types of disabilities to
contact the FCC. The most preferred method of contact is e-mail, with
telephone contacts a distant second. While DRO does receive letters
(including faxes), consumers with disabilities appear to prefer the
speed and ubiquity of text-based electronic access. Because consumers
with disabilities contact DRO from every state and U.S. possession, and
from other nations, it is not surprising that this low-cost method
dominates the way in which DRO delivers assistance to consumers.

<table style="width:100%;">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 13%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="14"><blockquote>
<p><em><strong>Table 7. Calendar Year 2000 Complaints and
Inquiries</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>by Method of Service Preferred by
Consumer</strong></em></p>
</blockquote></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>January</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>February</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>March</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>April</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>May</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>June</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>July</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>August</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>September</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>October</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>November</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>December</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
<td><blockquote>
<p><strong>Totals</strong></p>
</blockquote></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>E-Mail</td>
<td>69</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>35</td>
<td>41</td>
<td>54</td>
<td>47</td>
<td>47</td>
<td>115</td>
<td>68</td>
<td>137</td>
<td>100</td>
<td>86</td>
<td>820</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Telephone</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>20</td>
<td>18</td>
<td>22</td>
<td>17</td>
<td>22</td>
<td>78</td>
<td>14</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>24</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>253</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Letter</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>18</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>79</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>TTY</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>33</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><strong>Total</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td><strong>1,185</strong></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

![](media/image13.wmf)

**4. Type of Disability Involved**

DRO serves consumers with a variety of disability access needs.
Approximately two-thirds of individuals contacting DRO either have a
sensory disability, such as blindness or deafness, or are calling for
information concerning an individual with a sensory disability. Another
20 percent of inquiries involve people with other physical disabilities
such as cerebral palsy, brain injury, post-polio syndrome, multiple
sclerosis, and medical conditions that may restrict communication,
including diabetes, heart conditions, and diseases such as Huntington's,
Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's. Inquiries that involve mental
disabilities, such as mental retardation, autism, mental illness,
attention deficit disorder, are mentioned in fewer than 10 percent of
inquiries. Approximately 10 percent of inquiries involve an unspecified
disability, and numerous inquiries do not mention a disability at all.

+--------------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| ***Table 8.        |                                         |      |
| Percentage of      |                                         |      |
| Calendar Year 2000 |                                         |      |
| Consumers          |                                         |      |
| Served***          |                                         |      |
|                    |                                         |      |
| ***by Type of      |                                         |      |
| Disability         |                                         |      |
| Involved***        |                                         |      |
+--------------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| **Type of          | **Description**                         | *    |
| Disability**       |                                         | *%** |
+--------------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| Sensory            | Deaf, blind, speech disability,         | 61   |
| Disabilities       | hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, low        |      |
|                    | vision, color blind                     |      |
+--------------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| Physical           | Cerebral palsy, brain injury,           | 22   |
| Disabilities       | post-polio syndrome, multiple           |      |
|                    | sclerosis, chemical sensitivity,        |      |
|                    | paraplegia, medical conditions such as  |      |
|                    | heart conditions, Huntington's,         |      |
|                    | Parkinsons, *etc.*                      |      |
+--------------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| Mental             | Autism, mental illness, mental          | 6    |
| Disabilities       | retardation, dyslexia, attention        |      |
|                    | deficit disorder, learning & cognitive  |      |
|                    | disabilities                            |      |
+--------------------+-----------------------------------------+------+
| Disabled           | Type not specified                      | 11   |
+--------------------+-----------------------------------------+------+

![](media/image14.wmf)

**5. Range of Customers Served**

DRO provides information and technical assistance to a broad range of
consumers. The largest group served consists of advocates for the
disability community and relatives of individuals with disabilities.
Another significant group of individuals served by DRO are members of
the telecommunications service and product industries. Individuals
working in state governments, including individuals in relay services
administration, public utility commissions, and state programs that
deliver services to people with disabilities also frequently contact DRO
for assistance. A large number of individuals from other Federal
agencies and the military, as well as individuals from the education
fields, also utilize DRO's services. Finally, writers and international
regulators regularly contact DRO for information on disability-specific
telecommunications rules.

+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| ***Table 9. Percentage  |                                   |        |
| of Inquiries in         |                                   |        |
| Calendar Year 2000***   |                                   |        |
|                         |                                   |        |
| ***by Range of          |                                   |        |
| Customers Served***     |                                   |        |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| **Type of Customer**    | **Description**                   | **%**  |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| Advocates & Relatives   | Disability community, parents,    | 36     |
| of                      | grandparents,                     |        |
|                         |                                   |        |
| Persons with            | spouses, caregivers of persons    |        |
| Disabilities            | with a disability                 |        |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| Industry & Attorneys    | Representatives, managers,        | 30     |
|                         | engineers and                     |        |
|                         |                                   |        |
|                         | carriers, equipment and services  |        |
|                         | companies.                        |        |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| State                   | Relay services administrators,    | 12     |
|                         | state program administrators,     |        |
|                         | PUCs, hospitals                   |        |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| Federal Agency &        | Other than FCC, disabled veterans | 8      |
| Military                | and current service veterans      |        |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| Education               | College and high school teachers, | 7      |
|                         | students, researchers,            |        |
|                         | administrators                    |        |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| Special Populations     | Senior citizens with              | 4      |
|                         | disabilities, prisoners with      |        |
|                         | disabilities                      |        |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+
| Researchers             | International regulators,         | 3      |
|                         | writers, publishers, reporters    |        |
+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+--------+

![](media/image15.wmf)

**E. CONGRESSIONALS**

One of CIB's principal functions involves preparing responses to
Congressional inquiries submitted on behalf of consumers. As depicted in
Table 10 and Figure 11 below, in calendar year 2000, CIB handled over
54% of the 7,435 Congressional inquiries received by the Commission.

+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| ***Table 10. Number of              |                                |
| Congressionals***                   |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| ***Received for Calendar Year       |                                |
| 2000***                             |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Bureau**                          | **Number of Congressionals**   |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| CIB                                 | 4,054                          |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| All Other Bureau/Offices            | 3,379                          |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **Total**                           | **7,435**                      |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+

![](media/image16.wmf)

A major accomplishment for the Bureau during calendar year 2000 was the
elimination of a backlog of Congressional inquiries. At its inception in
November 1999, the Bureau was assigned over 200 Congressional inquiries,
many of which were overdue, that were previously the responsibility of
other FCC Bureaus and Offices. To tackle the backlog and an increasing
workload averaging over 1,000 new Congressional inquiries per quarter,
the Bureau, in May of 2000, streamlined the Congressional response
process, re-deployed staff, and set clear timetables and work
priorities. In addition, the Bureau ensured that staff assigned to
process Congressional inquiries received adequate training, guidelines,
and supervision to ensure prompt, courteous, and effective responses to
Congressional inquiries in all instances. The Bureau's handling of
Congressionals has been tremendously successful. As depicted in Table
11, after inheriting a workload and processes that generated late
Congressional responses over 58% of the time in November 1999, the
Bureau has maintained a record, achieved in July 2000, of responding to
all Congressional inquiries within established deadlines. In fourth
quarter 2000, the Bureau achieved a processing time of two to five days
per Congressional, as compared to a previous processing time of more
than 20 days.

+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| ***Table 11.    |                 |                 |                 |
| Congressional   |                 |                 |                 |
| Processing***   |                 |                 |                 |
|                 |                 |                 |                 |
| ***Performance  |                 |                 |                 |
| for Calendar    |                 |                 |                 |
| Year 2000***    |                 |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| **Year 2000**   | **Timely        | **Closed Late** | **Total**       |
|                 | Closed**        |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| First Quarter\* | N/A             | N/A             | N/A             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Second Quarter  | 539             | 746             | 1,285           |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Third Quarter   | 1,240           | 10              | 1,250           |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| Fourth Quarter  | 744             | 0               | 744             |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| *\*Note:        |                 |                 |                 |
| Figures are not |                 |                 |                 |
| available for   |                 |                 |                 |
| first quarter.* |                 |                 |                 |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+

![](media/image17.wmf)

**F. CONSUMER REFERENCE MATERIALS**

**1. Document Handling and Processing**

Members of the general public rely heavily on the information that is
maintained by the Commission's Reference Information Center which is
operated by CIB. During calendar year 2000, RIC provided document
handling and public access for a number of significant proceedings:

-   **Low Power FM.** RIC received over 1,000 pending applications for
    this service, and has made these available to the public since
    release of the Commission's public notice.

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-   **Two-way Wireless Communications.** RIC received approximately
    2,040 new applications for this new service. Files were available as
    soon as the Commission issued its public notice. This service is bar
    coded for quick retrieval.

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-   **Detariffing.** Commission action to detariff interstate common
    carrier services has caused a huge influx of public research by
    members of the general public wishing to ascertain current carrier
    rates and charges.

-   **Low Power Television.** Commission action to allow television
    stations to move to Class A protection status resulted in the filing
    of over 2,000 requests for protection and an increase in research to
    determine which stations submitted these filings.

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-   **Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Rules.** Following Commission
    action on EEO rules, RIC received over 34,000 EEO forms from
    broadcast station licensees, which were made available for public
    review.

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-   **Customer Service Standards.** RIC developed new standards for
    ensuring that the general public receives accurate and prompt
    information. In addition, the RIC developed a method designed to
    collect feedback regarding its customer service.

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-   **Broadcast Records**. RIC retired 1,850 boxes of broadcast records
    for the period of 1986 to 1993 to the Washington National Records
    Center. This freed up room for new applications, allowing the RIC to
    more easily access existing files, which in turn has improved
    service to the public.

The Table and Figure below represent RIC's workload for calendar year
2000.

  ------------------ ------------------------------------------ ------------
  ***Table 12.                                                  
  Reference                                                     
  Information Center                                            
  Workload for                                                  
  calendar Year                                                 
  2000***                                                       

  **Category**       **Description**                            **Totals**

  **Customers**      Total number of visits by RIC's customers  26,918
                     for research purposes.                     

  **Request Forms**  Total number of request forms received     31,563
                     from RIC's customers.                      

  **Files Pulled**   Total number of files that RIC staff       82,716
                     pulled for customers.                      

  **Applications     Applications received and filed into RIC   12,942
  Received \***      station files for the year                 

  *\*Note: Does not                                             
  count                                                         
  international,                                                
  multi-channel                                                 
  multi-point                                                   
  distribution                                                  
  service, cable, or                                            
  wireless                                                      
  applications -- no                                            
  database tracking                                             
  or report                                                     
  currently                                                     
  available for                                                 
  these services.*                                              
  ------------------ ------------------------------------------ ------------

![](media/image18.wmf)

**2. Electronic Comments Filing System**

The Electronic Comments Filing System enables consumers from all over
the country to easily and effectively file comments with the Commission
at no cost. As shown below, 350,000 of the 380,000 filings, or 92% of
the incoming documents to the Commission, are handled by RIC's Imaging
Center.

  ------------------- ------------------------------------ ---------------
  ***Table 13.                                             
  Electronic Comments                                      
  Filing System***                                         

  **ECFS**            **Description**                      **Total for
                                                           Calendar Year
                                                           2000**

  **ECFS Filings**    30,000 documents filed               380,000
                      electronically by the public and an  
                      additional 350,000 filed in paper,   
                      scanned, indexed, and posted by      
                      RIC\'s Imaging Center staff to the   
                      appropriate proceeding and to the    
                      Internet site.                       

  **Internet Hits to  Number of hits accessing ECFS to     110,815
  ECFS**              either file comments or view         
                      proceeding documents.                
  ------------------- ------------------------------------ ---------------

![](media/image19.wmf)

**3. Documents in Accessible Formats**

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires the Commission to make the
information it provides to the public and FCC employees accessible to
people with disabilities. Among other things, this Act requires the FCC
to (1) convert printed materials into accessible alternative formats and
(2) provide sign language interpretation of spoken or audio information.

During calendar year 2000, CIB handled 172 specific and specialized
requests for accessible documents or sign language interpreters from
consumers and employees. Individuals outside the agency made 28 of these
requests; 144 requests were from FCC personnel. The following chart
shows the type of information for which accessible formats were
provided.

+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| ***Table 14. Types of Documents Made***                 |            |
|                                                         |            |
| ***Available Calendar Year 2000***                      |            |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| **Types of Documents Made Available**                   | **Number** |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Legal documents (releases of FCC actions, rules,        | 29         |
| regulations)                                            |            |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| General FCC public documents (public notices,           | 20         |
| announcements, statements):                             |            |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Specific consumer-oriented information documents (fact  | 72         |
| sheets, consumer guides)                                |            |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Internal FCC documents (employee orientation and        | 11         |
| training materials, FCC phonebook)                      |            |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Correspondence to/from the Commission                   | 3          |
| (incoming/outgoing letters)                             |            |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| **Total**                                               | **135**    |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+

The following chart and figure demonstrate the various types of access
provided by CIB in calendar year 2000.

+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| ***Table 15. Mode of Accessibility***                   |            |
|                                                         |            |
| ***Provided Calendar Year 2000***                       |            |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| **Mode of Accessibility Provided**                      | **Number** |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Braille                                                 | 106        |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Large-Print                                             | 8          |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Audiocassette                                           | 4          |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Electronic Format (Disk)                                | 17         |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| Sign language Interpreting\*                            | 37         |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| **Total**                                               | **172**    |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+
| *\*Note that the number of requests that DRO received   |            |
| for sign language interpreting services **does not      |            |
| include** the number of requests processed and reported |            |
| by the Office of the Managing Director for public and   |            |
| other events and meetings. DRO provides a specialized   |            |
| interpreter for* ex parte *meetings, small conferences, |            |
| and small meetings where sign language interpretation   |            |
| requires extensive knowledge of the technical           |            |
| background of the subject under discussion.*            |            |
+---------------------------------------------------------+------------+

![](media/image20.wmf)

![](media/image2.wmf){width="1.5in" height="1.4in"}

IV. **POLICY**

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A.  **CONSUMER ISSUES**

**1. Consumer/Disability Federal Advisory Committee.**

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, in calendar year
2000, the Bureau led the effort to establish a new Federal advisory
committee, the Consumer/Disabilities Telecommunications Advisory
Committee (CDTAC). The purpose of the new committee will be to obtain
general guidance from consumer, disability, and industry leaders on
issues of importance to consumers and individuals with disabilities.
Among the various issues that CDTAC will be addressing are access by
people with disabilities (*e.g.*, telecommunications relay services,
video description, captioning, accessible billing, and access to
telecommunications products and services); consumer protection and
education (*e.g.*, cramming, slamming, consumer-friendly billing,
detariffing, bundling of services, Lifeline/Linkup programs, customer
service, privacy, telemarketing abuses, and outreach to underserved
populations); impact of new and emerging technologies (*e.g.*,
availability of broadband, digital television, cable, satellite, low
power FM, and the convergence of these and emerging technologies); and
consumer participation in FCC proceedings. The public notice announcing
the formation of the committee was released in November 2000, and the
committee will hold its first meeting in March of 2001.

**2. Commission Proceedings**

CIB reviewed and made recommendations to the Common Carrier Bureau (CCB)
on a number of Commission proceedings affecting the rights and
responsibilities of consumers:

# **CALLS Education Plan**. In July of 2000, the Commission implemented a plan that changed the manner in which long distance companies pay access charges to local telephone companies. This plan, known as the "CALLS plan" for its creator -- the Coalition for Affordable Local and Long-Distance Service -- changes the way that surcharges are billed to consumers. CIB worked with the industry, consumer groups, and CCB to ensure that information provided in consumer telephone bills accurately informed consumers about the impact of the CALLS plan. In addition, CIB worked with industry to approve **A Smart Consumer's Guide to Telephone Service**, a brochure prepared by the CALLS Coalition and published by the Federal Consumer Information Center. 

# **Detariffing.** The Commission has ordered that the detariffing of all domestic interstate long distance rates take effect no later than April 30, 2001. Under detariffing, long distance telephone companies will no longer need to file documents with the Commission describing the rates, terms, and conditions of the services they provide. Detariffing changes the nature of the relationship that a consumer has with his or her long distance company to one of a contractual nature. During the final quarter of 2000, CIB initiated comprehensive efforts with CCB to ensure that consumers are fully educated about the impact that detariffing will have on their telephone service. Toward this end, the Bureau and CCB met with members of the industry to ensure that informational materials prepared by the carriers for their subscribers were clear and accurate. In addition, the Bureau prepared its own educational materials, shared information at national conferences, and interviewed senior citizen focus groups to ascertain levels of consumer understanding of the detariffing issue. 

-   **Slamming.** Slamming is the unlawful practice of changing a
    consumer's telecommunications carrier without his or her knowledge
    or permission. To deter slamming, the FCC adopted new anti-slamming
    rules which, among other things: (1) strengthen the liability rules
    to take the profit out of slamming by absolving consumers of 30 days
    of slamming charges; and (2) strengthen the procedures by which
    carriers must obtain customer verification of preferred carrier
    change requests. CIB worked with CCB on final documents modifying
    the slamming mandates. When the slamming rules went into effect in
    November of 2000, CIB released an extensive slamming education
    campaign, which included brochures, fact sheets, and camera ready
    articles. In order to fully alert consumers of their new protections
    under the slamming rules, CIB shared these materials at national
    conferences, with state commissions, and consumer groups.

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-   **Service Quality NPRM.** In 1991, the Commission implemented a
    program to monitor the service quality of telephone carriers by
    requiring the submission of service quality reports. These reports
    contained, for example, information on the provision of
    telecommunications services, the maintenance and repair of
    telecommunications facilities, and the frequency of network trouble.
    In November of 2000, CCB proposed to streamline reporting
    requirements imposed on carriers to require only a minimal set of
    consumer-oriented service quality data, in a more consumer-oriented
    format. These revisions were intended on the one hand to provide
    state regulatory commissions with the information they require to
    protect consumers, and on the other to offer consumers sufficient
    information to consider service quality in choosing a carrier. CIB
    reviewed the proposals set forth by CCB and provided comment on the
    type of information that it felt would be important to consumers and
    the need to make that information readily accessible to consumers.

**B. DISABILITY ISSUES**

1.  **Commission Orders and Releases**

Calendar year 2000 was a banner year for Commission work on the
expansion of telecommunications access for people with disabilities. CIB
worked closely with the Common Carrier Bureau, Mass Media Bureau, the
Cable Services Bureau, the Office of Engineering and Technology, the
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the Enforcement Bureau in
developing and drafting the following landmark proceedings related to
telecommunications access:

> **In the Matter of Telecommunications Relay Services and
> Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech
> Disabilities, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed
> Rulemaking (adopted February 17, 2000, released March 6, 2000)**
>
> Telecommunications relay services (TRS) use operators to convey
> messages in real-time between individuals who are deaf, hard of
> hearing, or speech disabled, and other individuals. In 2000, CIB
> worked with the Common Carrier Bureau to draft new TRS rules that
> overhaul the Commission's original 1991 TRS rules. Among other things,
> the new rules require speech-to-speech relay, interstate Spanish relay
> and permit a new funding mechanism to encourage the provision of video
> relay services. The Order also created new standards for relay service
> quality, adopted the Commission's informal complaint process for TRS,
> and raised issues about new technologies in an accompanying Further
> Notice.
>
> **Closed Captioning and Video Description of Video Programming,
> Implementation of Section 305 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996,
> Accessibility of Emergency Information, Report and Order (adopted
> April 6, 2000, released April 14, 2000)**
>
> CIB staff worked with the Cable Services Bureau to draft this Order,
> requiring video programming distributors to make local emergency
> information that is provided to television viewers accessible to
> persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. The new rule requires that if
> emergency information is provided aurally, it must also be provided in
> a visual format such as captioning, crawls, or scrolls that appear on
> the screen.
>
> **In the Matter of Closed Captioning Requirements for Digital
> Television Receivers, Report and Order (adopted July 21, 2000,
> released July 31, 2000)**
>
> This Order, prepared by CIB and the Office of Engineering and
> Technology, adopts technical standards for the display of closed
> captions on digital television receivers. The Order requires that
> these receivers provide viewers with the tools to control the size,
> font, and color of the captions that they watch, and to enable viewers
> to choose between multiple streams of captioning.
>
> **In the Matter of Implementation of Video Description of Video
> Programming, Report & Order (adopted July 21, 2000, released August 7,
> 2000)**
>
> CIB worked with the Mass Media Bureau on this Order, which expands
> access to television by individuals with visual disabilities. The
> Order requires the insertion of descriptions of the key visual
> elements into the natural pauses of the audio portion of certain
> programming. It places video description obligations on the top four
> commercial broadcast TV networks in the top 25 TV markets, and the top
> five national nonbroadcast networks of multichannel video programming
> distributors (MVPDs) with 50,000 or more subscribers. The Order also
> requires broadcast stations and MVPDs that provide local emergency
> information to make that information accessible to viewers who are
> blind or have visual disabilities.
>
> **In the Use of N11 Codes and Other Abbreviated Dialing Arrangements,
> Second Report & Order (adopted July 21, 2000, released August 9,
> 2000)**
>
> Currently, there are over 100 relay numbers used to access the various
> relay systems that exist across our nation. Each time a relay consumer
> travels, he or she is confronted with numerous difficulties associated
> with ascertaining the correct relay number for each of these systems.
> CIB played a major role in drafting and releasing a new Order which
> requires all telecommunications carriers to implement three-digit,
> 7-1-1 dialing for access to all relay services nationwide. By enabling
> TRS users to dial 7-1-1 to initiate a relay call from any telephone,
> anywhere in the United States, this Order will encourage and
> facilitate telephone communication between and among millions of
> individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech
> disabilities, and voice telephone users. The consequent increase in
> demand for relay services will hopefully spur the market entry of new
> TRS competitors, thereby increasing innovation, lowering prices, and
> enhancing relay service quality.
>
> **In the Matter of Revision of the Commission's Rules to Ensure
> Compatibility with Enhanced 911 Emergency Calling Systems, Fourth
> Report and Order (released December 14, 2000)**
>
> This Order establishes June 30, 2002 as the deadline by which digital
> wireless service providers must be capable of transmitting 911 calls
> made using TTY devices. Among other things, the Order requires
> carriers to regularly report on their progress in resolving
> TTY/digital compatibility problems until that time. The Order was
> prepared by the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, with the
> assistance of CIB.
>
> Public Notice reminding manufacturers of their obligation to make
> interactive voice menu products accessible under Section 255 of the
> Communications Act (released September 22, 2000)
>
> Section 255 requires all telecommunications manufacturers to make
> their products accessible to individuals with disabilities, if readily
> achievable. This Notice, prepared by the Enforcement Bureau with CIB's
> oversight, reminds manufacturers of interactive voice menu products of
> their obligations under Section 255.

2.  **Other Disability-Related Matters**

In addition to the various proceedings noted above, DRO worked on other
matters related to access by individuals with disabilities:

-   In order to ensure that the needs of individuals with disabilities
    were considered in proceedings that were not necessarily
    disability-specific in the year 2000, DRO routinely reviewed, or
    "filtered," the proceedings of other Bureaus and Offices for
    disability impact in the year 2000. For example, DRO reviewed and
    provided input on proceedings which concerned Part 68 deregulation,
    Section 706 advanced services deployment, allocation of 216-220 MHz
    spectrum, digital television public interest obligations, low power
    FM, and the provision of E911 services by mobile satellite systems.

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-   The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all Federal
    agencies to caption public service announcements which they fund in
    whole or in part. In order to increase compliance with this mandate,
    DRO prepared a letter for the Chairman's signature reminding all
    Federal agencies of this ADA obligation. This letter was sent on May
    2, 2000.

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-   Interactive voice response systems have proliferated throughout the
    United States. These telephone systems utilize a series of prompts
    to which callers respond in order to access information or leave
    messages. For the most part, these systems remain inaccessible to
    individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have other
    disabilities. DRO prepared a letter for the Chairman's signature
    seeking clarification by the U.S. Department of Justice of the
    obligations of state and local governments and places of public
    accommodation which use IVR systems, to otherwise provide effective
    telephone access under Titles II and III of the ADA. This letter was
    sent December 27, 2000.

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-   Under new Universal Service programs, schools and libraries across
    the nation are sometimes eligible to obtain discounted
    telecommunications services. In order to obtain these discounts,
    entities must apply by filling out what is known as an "e-rate"
    application. In recent years, parents of children with disabilities
    have raised concerns about schools which receive e-rate funds, but
    which are not accessible to their children. DRO worked with the
    Common Carrier Bureau on inclusion of language to alert e-rate
    applicants of their disability access obligations under various
    Federal nondiscrimination statutes. The language was added to the
    Commission's fourth e-rate application in the Fall of 2000.

**C. NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES**

Throughout calendar year 2000, CIB's Liaison for Tribal Affairs
coordinated and assisted with outreach and education to numerous tribes
and regional inter-tribal councils on the Commission's Indian
Initiatives. Among the various tribes consulted were the Lummi,
Nisqually, Seneca, Oneida, Chickasaw, Mississippi Choctaw, Red Lake Band
of Chippewa, Winnebago, Cheyenne and Arapaho, Mohegan, Pasqua Yaqui,
Mescalero Apache, Lower Brule Sioux, Spokane, Seminole, Cherokee,
Mashantucket Pequot, Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Cheyenne River Sioux, Oglala
Sioux, and Yurok tribes.

CIB's activities included meetings with the leadership of 90% of the
tribes and pueblos in New Mexico, the All-Indian Pueblo Council, and the
Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council; a visit to the National Indian
Telecommunications Institute in Santa Fe; and consultation with the
Cochiti Pueblo Tribal Council on telecommunications concerns.

In addition, the Bureau worked closely with the Common Carrier Bureau,
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Office of General Counsel, Mass
Media Bureau, and Office of Communications Business Opportunities to
recommend, develop, and implement policies and programs designed to
address the absence of telecommunications services in Indian Country,
and to address other Commission regulatory matters involving tribes and
tribal lands, in the following proceedings:

> **Statement of Policy on Establishing a Government-to-Government
> Relationship with Indian Tribes (adopted June 8, 2000, released June
> 30, 2000)**
>
> This statement formally recognizes the Commission's tribal trust
> relationship. It re-affirms tribal sovereignty, Federal trust
> relationship responsibility principles, and the importance of agency
> consultation with Federally-recognized Indian Tribes. The "Trust
> Policy" establishes certain Commission principles with respect to its
> tribal policies going forward, including a tribal consultation
> standard.

### In the Matter of Extending Wireless Telecommunications Services to Tribal Lands, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (adopted June 8, 2000, released June 30, 2000)

> This Order establishes bidding credits in future auctions to winning
> bidders who use licenses to deploy facilities and provide service to
> Federally-recognized tribal areas. In addition to working on the
> development and drafting of this item, CIB assisted the Wireless
> Bureau with follow up efforts concerning the Tribal Lands Bidding
> Credit, including extensive outreach to tribes and industry on terms
> and conditions of the bidding credit.
>
> **In the Matters of Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service;
> Promoting Deployment and Subscribership in Unserved and Underserved
> Areas, Including Tribal and Insular Areas, Twelfth Report and Order,
> Memorandum Opinion and Order, and Second Further Notice of Proposed
> Rulemaking (adopted June 8, 2000, released June 30, 2000)**
>
> This Order revises the eligibility criteria for tribal land residents
> to qualify for Universal Service support and increases the support
> levels for residents of tribal lands, including lifeline subsidies.
> This item also establishes a framework for Eligible Telecommunications
> Carrier Designations related to tribal lands and applies the framework
> to pending petitions. CIB provided guidance to the Common Carrier
> Bureau concerning the extent to which Federal Indian social programs
> would meet Universal Service eligibility criteria, and specific
> questions concerning tribal lands Federal regulatory definitions.
>
> **Co-Location Programmatic Agreement on Wireless Antennas; National
> Historic Preservation Act and National Environmental Policy Act
> Issues**

### 

> CIB assisted the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau with the
> development of this agreement among the Commission, the National
> Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, and the Advisory
> Council on Historic Preservation, as it relates to Federal Indian Law
> and tribal historic preservation laws and concerns. CIB is currently
> coordinating consultation with the tribes and tribal historic
> preservation officers for the purposes of this agreement.
>
> **Low Power FM Radio (LPFM)**
>
> CIB assisted the Mass Media Bureau (MMB) on issues of tribal
> eligibility requirements related to LPFM service, and performed tribal
> outreach and consultation on the LPFM service initiative. Outreach
> included assisting in the creation of an LPFM brochure and the mailing
> and further dissemination of LPFM information to the tribes.

### Red Lake Chippewa Broadcast Licensing Matter

> CIB assisted the Audio Services Branch of MMB on a specific tribal
> licensing matter involving an application and subsequent changes made
> by the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians for a commercial broadcast
> license. CIB acted as liaison to tribal representatives while
> assisting MMB attorneys on matters of Federal Indian law, tribal law
> and customs, and questions concerning the traditional role of
> Historical Chiefs on modern tribal councils.

# 

# **V. LOOKING FORWARD**

The start of the new millennium was also the beginning for CIB. The
achievements of the Bureau at the beginning of this new millennium hold
significant promise for its future. As the unique organization within
the Commission charged with responding to consumer concerns, CIB has
extensive future plans for streamlining and improving its processes to
fulfill its mission even more effectively. Among other things, the
Bureau has plans:

 To consolidate our varied databases and software systems through the
Consumer Information Management System. The integration of these systems
will more effectively enable the Bureau to gather, analyze, and respond
to requests about trends and patterns of consumer concerns that reach
our offices.

 To further reduce the speed with which consumer calls are answered in
our Consumer Centers. The result will be fewer abandoned calls and a
more satisfied consuming public.

 To expand efforts to provide educational materials to Asian-Pacific
Americans and other groups whom we previously have not targeted.
Reaching out to untapped communities and providing our informational
materials in multiple languages will allow us to expand the breadth of
our outreach objectives.

 To overhaul the Commission's varied informal complaint procedures.
Developing uniform and consumer-friendly informal complaint procedures
that are agency-wide will eliminate consumer confusion and facilitate
the Commission's handling of these consumer complaints.

 To expand our efforts to reach out and respond to the access needs of
individuals with disabilities, Native Americans, senior citizens and the
Hispanic community. Our first year provided a substantial foundation
upon which to build our progress in addressing the telecommunications
needs of these underserved populations.

The year 2001 also brings with it the start of our brand new Federal
advisory committee. The Consumer/Disability Telecommunications Advisory
Committee will provide an invaluable mechanism through which our Bureau
can receive feedback on our many objectives. Through this committee, we
also will assist other Commission Bureaus and Offices in the
Commission's efforts to build consensus between consumers and industry
on a host of telecommunications issues.

These and other initiatives will enable the Consumer Information Bureau
to fulfill its goals of responding effectively to consumer concerns in
an ever-changing and increasingly diverse telecommunications
marketplace.

Roderick K. Porter

Acting Bureau Chief

**ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS**

Note from Chairman William E. Kennard:

I wish to thank the tireless and devoted staff of CIB who contributed so
significantly to the Bureau's enormous successes during its first year.
Without the enduring commitment and diligence of these individuals, the
Bureau would not have been able to realize the many achievements
described in this Report.

I also wish to thank the core CIB team that put together this First
Annual Report: Roderick K. Porter, Karen Peltz Strauss, Suzanne Perrin,
Thomas Wyatt, and Jenifer Simpson.

Others who contributed their time and effort to this report include:
Geoffrey Blackwell, Sharon Bowers, Cynthia Brown, Phyllis Chandler,
Martha Contee, Margaret Egler, Jack Forsythe Stephen Gorey, Patricia
Green, Mike Hennigan, Marlene Jackson, Fran Lookenbill, Scott Marshall,
Stacey Mesa, ShaVonne Morris, Sumita Mukhoty, Lynn Remly, Ericka
Saunders, and Sharon Wright.

I would like to express a special thank you to Suzanne Perrin, whose
extraordinary efforts and dedication in designing and assisting in the
coordination of this report made its completion possible.

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