Source: http://www.fcc.gov/document/corr-wireless
Timestamp: 2014-12-25 11:38:45
Document Index: 347039672

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 20', '§ 610', '§ 20', '§ 20', '§ 20', '§ 20', '§ 20', '§ 20']

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DA 12-1049
File No.: EB-07-SE-327
NAL/Acct. No.: 200832100064
FRN: 0003804101
Adopted: July 6, 2012 Released: July 6, 2012
In this Forfeiture Order (Order), we issue a monetary forfeiture in the amount of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) to Corr Wireless Communications, LLC (Corr) for willfully and repeatedly violating former Section 20.19(d)(2)1 of the Federal Communications Commission’s (Commission or FCC) rules (Rules) by failing to include in its digital wireless handset offerings at least two handset models that met the inductive coupling standard for hearing aid compatibility by the applicable deadline. These hearing aid compatibility requirements serve to ensure that consumers with hearing loss have access to advanced telecommunications services.2
In the 2003 Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, the Commission adopted several measures to enhance the ability of individuals with hearing loss to access digital wireless telecommunications.3 The Commission established technical standards that digital wireless handsets must meet to be considered compatible with hearing aids operating in acoustic coupling and inductive coupling (telecoil) modes.4 1 47 C.F.R. § 20.19(d)(2) (2006).2 See Amendment of the Commission’s Rules Governing Hearing Aid-Compatible Mobile Handsets, Policy Statement and Second Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 25 FCC Rcd 11167, 11174, para. 18 (2010) (2010 Policy Statement).
3 See Section 68.4(a) of the Commission’s Rules Governing Hearing Aid-Compatible Telephones, Report and Order, 18 FCC Rcd 16753 (2003); Erratum, 18 FCC Rcd 18047 (2003) (Hearing Aid Compatibility Order); Order on Reconsideration and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 20 FCC Rcd 11221 (2005) (Hearing Aid Compatibility Reconsideration Order). The Commission adopted these requirements for digital wireless telephones under the authority of the Hearing Aid Compatibility Act of 1988, codified at Section 710(b)(2)(C) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. § 610(b)(2)(C) (Hearing Aid Compatibility Act).
4 See Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, 18 FCC Rcd at 16777, para. 56; see also 47 C.F.R. § 20.19(b)(1), (2). The Hearing Aid Compatibility Order described the acoustic coupling and the inductive coupling (telecoil) modes as follows: In acoustic coupling mode, the microphone picks up surrounding sounds, desired and undesired, and converts them into electrical signals. The electrical signals are amplified as needed and then converted back into sound by the hearing aid speaker. In telecoil mode, with the microphone turned off, the telecoil picks up the audio signal-based magnetic field generated by the voice coil of a dynamic speaker in hearing aid-compatible telephones, audio loop systems, or powered neck loops. The hearing aid converts the magnetic field into electrical signals, amplifies them as (continued….)
Specifically, the Commission adopted a standard for radio frequency interference (formerly the U3 rating, now the M3 rating) to enable acoustic coupling between digital wireless phones and hearing aids operating in acoustic coupling mode, and a separate standard (formerly the U3T rating, now the T3 rating) to enable inductive coupling with hearing aids operating in telecoil mode.5 The Commission further established, for each standard, deadlines by which handset manufacturers and digital wireless service providers were required to offer specified numbers of digital wireless handset models rated hearing aid-compatible.6 Specifically, by September 16, 2005, manufacturers and service providers were required to offer at least two handset models per air interface that met the M3 rating for radio frequency interference.7 In addition, by September 18, 2006, manufacturers and service providers were required to offer at least two handset models per air interface that met the T3 rating for inductive coupling.8 These handset deployment requirements apply to each air interface over which service providers offer service.9 (Continued from previous page) needed, and converts them back into sound via the speaker. Using a telecoil avoids the feedback that often results from putting a hearing aid up against a telephone earpiece, can help prevent exposure to over amplification, and eliminates background noise, providing improved access to the telephone. Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, 18 FCC Rcd at 16763, para. 22. 5 Former Section 20.19(b)(1) provided that a wireless handset is deemed hearing aid-compatible for radio frequency interference if, at minimum, it receives a U3 rating as set forth in “American National Standard for Methods of Measurement of Compatibility between Wireless Communications Devices and Hearing Aids, ANSI C63.19-2001.” 47 C.F.R. § 20.19(b)(1) (2006). Former Section 20.19(b)(2) provided that a wireless handset is deemed hearing aid-compatible for inductive coupling if, at minimum, it receives a U3T rating as set forth in ANSI C63.19-2001. 47 C.F.R. § 20.19(b)(2) (2006). On April 25, 2005, the Commission’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) announced that it would also certify handsets as hearing aid-compatible based on the revised version of the standard, ANSI C63.19-2005. See OET Clarifies Use of Revised Wireless Phone Hearing Aid Compatibility Standard Measurement Procedures and Rating Nomenclature, Public Notice, 20 FCC Rcd 8188 (OET 2005). On June 6, 2006, the Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) and OET announced that the Commission would also certify handsets as hearing aid-compatible based on the revised version of the standard, ANSI C63.19-2006. Thus, during the time period relevant here, applicants for certification could rely on either the 2001 version, the 2005 version, or the 2006 version of the ANSI C63.19 standard. See Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology Clarify Use of Revised Wireless Phone Hearing Aid Compatibility Standard, Public Notice, 21 FCC Rcd 6384 (WTB/OET 2006). In addition, because the 2001 and 2005 versions of the ANSI C63.19 technical standard used the same technical criteria to determine the hearing aid compatibility and the inductive coupling capability of a wireless phone, to avoid confusion, the “M” and “T” labeling system associated with the 2005 and 2006 versions of the standard may be used for compatibility testing performed under any of these versions. See Hearing Aid Compatibility Reconsideration Order, 20 FCC Rcd at 11238, n.118.
6 See Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, 18 FCC Rcd at 16780, para. 65; see also 47 C.F.R. § 20.19(c), (d) (2006). These requirements did not apply to service providers and manufacturers that met the de minimis exception. SeeHearing Aid Compatibility Order, 18 FCC Rcd at 16775-76, para. 53. In order to monitor the availability of these handsets, the Commission also required manufacturers and service providers to report every six months on efforts toward compliance with the hearing aid compatibility requirements for the first three years of implementation, and then annually thereafter through the fifth year of implementation. See Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, 18 FCC Rcd at 16787, para. 89; see also Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announces Hearing Aid Compatibility Reporting Dates for Wireless Carriers and Handset Manufacturers, Public Notice, 19 FCC Rcd 4097 (WTB 2004).
7 See Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, 18 FCC Rcd at 16780, para. 65; see also 47 C.F.R. § 20.19(c). 8 See Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, 18 FCC Rcd at 16780, para. 65; see also 47 C.F.R. § 20.19(d). 9 See Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, 18 FCC Rcd at 16780, para. 65. The term “air interface” refers to the technical protocol that ensures compatibility between mobile radio service equipment, such as handsets, and the service provider’s base stations. At the time the Hearing Aid Compatibility Order was released, the leading air (continued….)
Corr is a Tier III wireless carrier that offers service over the GSM air interface.10 In its November 10, 2006, Status Report on Hearing Aid Compatibility, Corr reported that it offered for sale several handset models that met the M3 rating for radio frequency interference.11 However, Corr’s 2006 Report did not address its handset model offerings that were rated T3 for inductive coupling.12 The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau referred the matter to the Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) for investigation and possible enforcement acti