# Presentation: 657645

## January 15, 2004

***Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau***

## Increase legal and Intergovernmental Affairs outreach staffs

Expand outreach to underserved stakeholders (e.g. people with disabilities, rural communities) 

Continue to modernize CGB technology infrastructure

Enhance CGB policy focus

Ensure that all Voices are Heard 

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- Increase legal and Intergovernmental Affairs outreach staffs
- Expand outreach to underserved stakeholders (e.g. people with disabilities, rural communities)
- Continue to modernize CGB technology infrastructure
- Enhance CGB policy focus
- Ensure that all Voices are Heard

## Broadband 

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- Promoting the Commission's Strategic Goals

- Broadband
- Competition
- Media
- Homeland Security
- Spectrum
- Modernizing the FCC

## Forged partnership with Appalachian Regional Commission to bring advanced services to rural Appalachian communities.  

- Forged partnership with Appalachian Regional Commission to bring advanced services to rural Appalachian communities.
- Showcased  how broadband links the University of Virginia’s Medical Center to rural health care facilities.
- Facilitated discussion of broadband issues by the FCC’s  Consumer Advisory Committee.

- Broadband

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*Deployment*

## Balance consumers’ privacy rights with telemarketers’ telemarketing rights.

Over 55 million consumers have registered since July 2003.

For 2004 CGB will continue to work on the TCPA docket to update and enhance the telemarketing and unsolicited fax rules.

- Over 55 million consumers have registered since July 2003.
- For 2004 CGB will continue to work on the TCPA docket to update and enhance the telemarketing and unsolicited fax rules.

- Competition

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*TCPA / National Do-Not-Call Registry*

**“...****a tool that will help ensure that **
**telemarketers respect the privacy of **
**our nation’s citizens.”**
**~ President George W. Bush ~**

## Revised rules to allow further consumer protections.

Eliminated Form 478 to alleviate burdens on carriers.

Provided a consumer mechanism for recourse. 

- Revised rules to allow further consumer protections.
- Eliminated Form 478 to alleviate burdens on carriers.
- Provided a consumer mechanism for recourse.

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*Taking the Profit out of Slamming*

##      Orders Released   

***     ******Orders Released   ***

*An increase of nearly 300% over last *
*year totals.**  *

***             ******Complaints Closed***

*35.4% more than the number tallied at *
*the same time last year.*

*Taking the Profit out of Slamming*

- Competition

- More than $250,000 in refunds and credits to consumers

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## 
Electronic filing initiatives contributed to about a 10% increase in the average speed of disposal for informal complaints and inquiries. 

Modest backlog in 2003 of 161 informal complaints.  
The National Do-Not-Call and Wireless Local Number Portability complaints nearly doubled monthly complaint activity from 7,585 in the 3rd quarter to 13,808 in the 4th quarter.

- Competition

- Electronic filing initiatives contributed to about a **10% increase** in the average speed of disposal for informal complaints and inquiries.
- Modest backlog in 2003 of 161 informal complaints.
- The National Do-Not-Call and Wireless Local Number Portability complaints nearly doubled monthly complaint activity from 7,585 in the 3rd quarter to 13,808 in the 4th quarter.

*Consumer Centers*
*Informal Complaints Backlog*

_**Complaints Volume**_** **

## Taking the “government to the people”

**Taking the “*****government to the people”***

- 9a

- DC

- Virginia

- California

**National Consumer Protection **
**Week**

**Broadcast Ownership En Banc Hearing**

**DC Office of**
** ****People’s Counsel Meeting **

- Texas

**Nat’l Council of**
**La Raza**

- Florida

**Exhibit at World Congress **
**on Disabilities **

- Penn.

**Be “Utility **
**Wise” Day**

**DTV panel participation at NACAA Fall Consumer Conference**

- N. Carolina

**Localism **
**Hearing**

- IL

**Presentation & Exhibit, **
**AARP Convention **

**Consumer Forum**

- Nevada

- New
- York

**Federal Asian Pacific**
**Conference**

## Rural Lands of Opportunity

- 9b

**United **
**South & Eastern Tribes **
**Annual **
**Impact Week **
**Meeting**

**National Congress of American Indians 59****th**** Annual Session**

- DC

- Nevada

- Oregon

- New
- Mexico

- California

- Alaska

- Arizona

- North
- Dakota

- South
- Dakota

**Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Winter Conference **

**Nat’l Historic Preservation Act**
**Conference**

**Host meeting for National Congress of American Indian Executives and NCAI Telecommunications Subcommittee**

**Southern California **
**Tribal Chairman’s **
**Assoc.**

**60****th**** Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians**

**Fort Mojave Indian Reservation**
**Tribal Visit**

**Navajo Nation**
**Tribal Visit**

**Hopi Tribal**
**Visit**

**Taos Pueblo**
** ****Consultation**

**Indian **
**Telecommunications**
** ****Initiative Regional**
**Workshop**

**Cheyenne River**
** ****Sioux Reservation **
**Tribal Visit**

**Standing Rock Sioux **
**Reservation Tribal Visit**

**50****th**** Annual Meeting of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI)**

**Alaska Rural Development Council Conference**

**Rural Lands of Opportunity**

**Omaha Tribe of Nebraska**
**Tribal Visit **

- Nebraska

- Virginia

**University of Virginia Telemedicine  Demonstration**

## Solicited input from:
 Consumers
 State, Local, and Tribal governments
Development of VoIP
Development of FCC policies
 Industry

-  Consumers
-  State, Local, and Tribal governments
- Development of VoIP
- Development of FCC policies
-  Industry

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*Not a One-Way Street*

- Competition

## 11

- Fact Sheets

- Publications

- Competition

*Communicating to the Public*

- Consumer Alerts

## FCC Web Sites

*FCC Web Sites*

- Competition

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## Provided leadership in protecting and restoring the nation’s communications infrastructure and facilities in emergency situations.

- Homeland Security

- 13a

**Provided leadership in protecting and restoring the nation’s communications infrastructure and facilities in emergency situations.**
**Partnered with WTB and the National Governors Association to bring together state E911 experts to identify cooperative strategies to facilitate E911 deployment.**
**Coordinated with NARUC’s Critical Infrastructure Committee to identify opportunities to facilitate dialogue on homeland security issues.**
**Worked to ensure that persons with hearing and speech disabilities have access to telecommunications services during time of local, national, or international crisis.  **

*Securing Service for All Americans*

## Homeland Security

- 13b

*Securing Service for All Americans*

## 
Updated & strengthened Telecommunications Relay 
	Services (TRS) rules.

Coordinated with the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
	on Hearing Aid Compatibility rules for wireless telephones.

Comprehensive review of the TRS provider data resulted in significant reduction of Video Relay Service reimbursement rate and savings of millions of dollars for U.S. telecommunications rate payers.

- Updated & strengthened Telecommunications Relay
- 	Services (TRS) rules.
- Coordinated with the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
- 	on Hearing Aid Compatibility rules for wireless telephones.
- Comprehensive review of the TRS provider data resulted in significant reduction of Video Relay Service reimbursement rate and savings of millions of dollars for U.S. telecommunications rate payers.

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*Access by People with Disabilities*

- Homeland Security

## Amended Commission’s Rules to Implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
	of 1973.

Created The Federal Communications 
	Commission Section 504 Programs & Activities Accessibility Handbook.

- Amended Commission’s Rules to Implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- 	of 1973.
- Created *The Federal Communications *
*	**Commission Section 504 Programs & Activities Accessibility Handbook.*

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- Modernizing the FCC

*Enhancing Professional Development*

- Held training on current topics for FCC Consumer
- 	Centers.
- Designed a Consumer Affairs and Outreach
- 	curriculum for the FCC University.
- Conducted CLE training and presentations on TCPA for DC Bar, FCBA, the Women’s Bar Association

## 16

- Modernizing the FCC

*Streamlined the means for Americans to Comment *

** ***** *****One fourth of FCC’s filings were ***
***     ******made through ECFS ****Express*** *****in FY’03.***

** **
** ****ECFS *****Express *****~ 7,343 Filings**
** ****ECFS Internet ~ 18,078 Filings**
** **
** ****E-mail ~ 440 Filings**
** ****Paper scanning ~ 9,987 Filings**
**       ****(Feb. 1 – Dec. 31, 2003)  **

## $600,000

*CGB Consumer Centers*

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- Modernizing the FCC

**$600,000**
**To**
**Consumers**
**Per Month**

**15,400**
**Emails**

**3,350**
**Internet**
**Filings**

**72,500**
**Telephone **
**Calls**

**Electronic Complaint Service System**

- Now open to any carrier
- regardless of  size

## Consumer Information and Management System (CIMS) will improve efficiency of processing and tracking consumer inquiries and complaints.  

- Improvements in CGB’s IVR and Web-based systems.
- Nearly 36,000 consumers (per month) were able to access information.
- Allows staff more time to analyze and resolve complaints.

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- Modernizing the FCC

*Leveraging Technology*

*2004 Goals*

**Enhanced policy focus:**
- TRS
- TCPA
- HAC
- Wireless Spam
**Outreach:**
- Broadband
- Disability Community
- Indian Tribes
- Seniors
- Rural Communities
**Taking profit out of Slamming**

**Enhance consumer experience:**
- Consumer Centers
- Web Portals
- Fact Sheets
**Increase slamming adjudications**
**Eliminate backlog:**
- Informal Complaints
**Increase training:**
- 504 Handbook
- Tribal Training
- Professional Development

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## Special Thanks To

***Special Thanks To***

***CGB Staff***