# Presentation: 656686

## January 17, 2007

***Consumer & Governmental ***
***Affairs Bureau***

- Accessibility

- Customer
- Service

***2006 Annual Report***

**Notes:**
Good morning Mr. Chairman, and Commissioners.  It is my pleasure to represent the staff of the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau in reviewing our accomplishments in 2005 and setting out our goals for 2006.  
Our Bureau is primarily responsible for developing and implementing the Commission’s consumer policies, including disabilities access.  Through our outreach and education we serve as the public face of the Commission for the American consumer.  And, we partner with State, Local, and Tribal Governments in critical areas such as emergency preparedness and consumer protection. 

## Furthering Access to Telecommunications for Americans with Disabilities
Telecommunications Relay Service, Closed Captioning, Accessible Video Broadcast Information
Implementing Consumer Policy
Junk Fax Prevention Act, CAN-SPAM Act,  Accurate Consumer Billing, Continued Slamming Adjudications
Rapid Response to Consumer Needs
Consumer Center, Web Portals, Publications
Targeted Outreach
Broadband, DTV, Disability Issues, Tribal, Rural, Spanish Speakers
Working with our State, Tribal, and Local, Governmental Partners
Leveraging Technology
Web Portals, Electronic Comment Filing System, Reference Information Center, Consumer Information Registry, Spanish Language Web Pages

**Furthering Access to Telecommunications for Americans with Disabilities**
**Telecommunications Relay Service, Closed Captioning, Accessible Video Broadcast Information**
**Implementing Consumer Policy**
**Junk Fax Prevention Act, CAN-SPAM Act,  Accurate Consumer Billing, Continued Slamming Adjudications**
**Rapid Response to Consumer Needs**
**Consumer Center, Web Portals, Publications**
**Targeted Outreach**
**Broadband, DTV, Disability Issues, Tribal, Rural, Spanish Speakers**
**Working with our State, Tribal, and Local, Governmental Partners**
**Leveraging Technology**
**Web Portals, Electronic Comment Filing System, Reference Information Center, Consumer Information Registry, Spanish Language Web Pages**

- CGB

**Notes:**
I can report today that the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau met all of our goals for 2005.  
In the area of Disability Access we released a number of items that expanded the scope of Telecommunications Relay Service and access to closed captioning.  
We took numerous actions on the consumer protection front, addressing issues such as Telemarketing, Junk Faxes, and Billing.  
We continued to improve the operations of our consumer center and undertook major updates to our web pages, and publications to provide consumers with access to current information about the issues facing them in the marketplace.  
Our outreach efforts had both an issue specific focus, in areas such as DTV transition and broadband, as well as a constituent-specific emphasis, in working with groups to help address their unique needs.  

## Strengthening Telecommunications Relay Service
Video Relay Service (VRS) providers must provide interoperability with competing VRS providers
Exploring technical enhancements to VRS
More flexibility for VRS communications assistants
Convened E9-1-1 Disability Access Summit to facilitate critical E9-1-1 access during emergencies
Approved IP Captioned Telephone Relay Service

**Video Relay Service (VRS) providers must provide interoperability with competing VRS providers**
**Exploring technical enhancements to VRS**
**More flexibility for VRS communications assistants**
**Convened E9-1-1 Disability Access Summit to facilitate critical E9-1-1 access during emergencies**
**Approved IP Captioned Telephone Relay Service**

***Accessibility Highlights ***

- Disability Rights Office

**Notes:**
Telecommunications Relay Service was a major part of our Accessibility policy work in 2005 as we celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  TRS is vital for providing access to communications for people with hearing and speech disabilities.   We released five major items expanding access for TRS users, including;
 1) Allowing compensation for Video Relay Service calls between persons who use American Sign Language and persons who speak Spanish; 
2) Recognizing a form of captioned telephone service that uses two telephone lines instead of one, allowing our rules to keep up with technological advances; 
 3)  Mandating that VRS be offered 24/7 and adopting speed of answer requirements;
 4)  Exploring how internet-based  TRS calls can be routed to the appropriate PSAP with location information; and,
 5) Allowing a federal certification procedure for VRS and IP Relay.

In connection with the 25th anniversary of Closed Captioning, we initiated a proceeding exploring the effectiveness of the existing closed captioning rules.  We received over 1000 comments to date. 
Our work on the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Persons with Disabilities, proved especially important in the aftermath of the hurricanes. 

## 
Strengthening Telecommunications Relay Service (cont.)
Improve management and administration of Interstate TRS Fund
Expanded number of eligible entities providing covered VRS through expedited certification decisions
Accessible Emergency Information 
Reminded video programming distributors of their obligation to make emergency information accessible to individuals with hearing disabilities
Interagency Coordinating Council
Represent FCC as Chair of Emergency Subcommittee of Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities

**Strengthening Telecommunications Relay Service (cont.)**
**Improve management and administration of Interstate TRS Fund**
**Expanded number of eligible entities providing covered VRS through expedited certification decisions**
**Accessible Emergency Information **
**Reminded video programming distributors of their obligation to make emergency information accessible to individuals with hearing disabilities**
**Interagency Coordinating Council**
**Represent FCC as Chair of Emergency Subcommittee of Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities**

- Disability Rights Office

## Junk Fax Prevention Act

**Junk Fax Prevention Act**
**Implemented Congressionally mandated protections against unsolicited facsimile advertising**
**Customer Account Record Exchange**
**Improved the FCC’s CARE rules**
**Slamming (Switching of Consumer’s Authorized Carrier)**
**Closed 1386 slamming complaints**
**CAN-SPAM **
**Ongoing administration of the Wireless Domain Registry to protect wireless consumers from unwanted commercial electronic mail messages**

- Policy Team

**Notes:**
Our Consumer Policy Division had a very busy year with a range of proceedings dealing with consumer protection.  We undertook a proceeding to implement the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005.  
Our implementation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act saw the release of four items in 2005.  
We issued a major item in the Truth-in-Billing docket extending to wireless phone bills the requirement that bills be clear and non-misleading.  
We set forth rules on how carriers share information about customers wanting to switch from one carrier to another.  
We responded to over a thousand congressional inquiries and FOIA requests.  

## $2,433,771: Total amount returned to     	consumers in 2006 

***2006 Complaints and Inquiries***

**Total CGB Consumer Contacts: 2,176,620**

- Consumer Center

**Amount Returned to Consumers**

**$2,344,727 returned to consumers through Informal Complaint process**

**$89,044 returned to consumers as a result of Slamming Complaints**

**$2,433,771: ****Total amount returned to     ****	****consumers in 2006**** **

**Notes:**
In 2005 our Consumer Center fielded over three quarter of a million phone calls, twice that many emails, as well as faxes, mail and web contacts. 
 Our Consumer Advocacy and Mediation Specialists are on the front lines responding to consumers every day, answering questions about almost any issue the Commission may deal with, they take complaints, and they serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission in spotting and identifying new concerns that consumers may have.  

## Disability Access Services
Converted over 3994 pages of print documents into accessible formats (e.g., Braille, large print, audio)
Provided hundreds of hours of sign language interpreting, CART, and revoicing services
Spanish Language Translations
Created Spanish language forms for filing comments and complaints
Translated 60 consumer fact sheets and all disability and DTV web pages
Improved Spanish portal home page, “Bienvenidos” 
Consumer Publications Projects
Created or updated nearly 100 fact sheets, consumer advisories, and other publications
Technical Improvements
Improved Reference Information Center processing time by allowing consumers to send faxes 24/7 using toll-free 800 number
Improved Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) allowing more tailored search results

**Converted over 3994 pages of print documents into accessible formats (*****e.g*****., Braille, large print, audio)**
**Provided hundreds of hours of sign language interpreting, CART, and revoicing services**
**Spanish Language Translations**
**Created Spanish language forms for filing comments and complaints**
**Translated 60 consumer fact sheets and all disability and DTV web pages**
**Improved Spanish portal home page, “Bienvenidos” **
**Consumer Publications Projects**
**Created or updated nearly 100 fact sheets, consumer advisories, and other publications**
**Technical Improvements**
**Improved ****Reference Information Center**** processing time by allowing consumers to send faxes 24/7 using toll-free 800 number**
**Improved ****Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS)**** allowing more tailored search results**

- CGB

**Notes:**
We have made great efforts in the past year to make sure that consumers can get access to the information they need from us and more easily provide us with information we need when they file a complaint.  
In 2005 we coordinated with the other bureaus and offices to review and update the over one-hundred fact sheets and other publications we maintain in order to ensure that they are up-to-date and useful to consumers.  We are doing the same with the 250-plus scripts used by the Consumer Center staff in response to inquiries. 
We worked with the enforcement bureau to make the complaint forms more user friendly.  

## Launched “DTV Toolkit” on www.dtv.gov website

**Launched ****“DTV Toolkit”**** on www.dtv.gov website**
**“****Ask the FCC”**** sessions in Harlem, Poughkeepsie, and Port Jervis, NY**
**Participated in ****international forum**** on accessibility in Mexico City**
**Featured ****PSAs**** on D.C. Metro buses and subway stations**
**Participated in ****La Raza**** ****annual**** ****conference in Los Angeles, CA**
**Recognized by ****Department of Homeland Security**** for promoting emergency preparedness with respect to persons with disabilities**
**Hosted ****Fourth Annual Dialogue with National Congress of American Indians**
**Sponsored Indian Telecom Initiatives workshops on ****broadband deployment,**** ****public safety ****and**** homeland security in Indian Country**** **
**Participated in annual meetings of ****National Congress of American Indians**** and ****United South and Eastern Tribes**** **
**Created web portal for ****live web casts**** of Indian Telecom Initiatives workshops **

- Outreach Team

**Notes:**
Our outreach team consists of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and the Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division.  We meet with groups and attend events from Alaska to Florida to make sure we inform as well as hear from American consumers on communications issues that impact their every-day lives.