Opinion ID: 172231
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that individuals with hearing or speech disabilities have access to telecommunications relay services (TRS), which are telephone transmission services enabling such individuals to communicate in a manner functionally equivalent to how individuals without disabilities communicate. 47 U.S.C. § 225(a)(3), (b)(1). Interstate TRS providers are compensated for the costs of providing TRS from a fund (the TRS Fund) governed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(5)(iii). In two declaratory rulings, the FCC articulated three restrictions on TRS providers which petitioners challenge in this case. First, the FCC prohibited providers from using revenues received from the TRS Fund to lobby customers. Telecommunications Relay Servs. (2008 Declaratory Ruling), 23 F.C.C.R. 8993, 8998 (2008). Second, it prohibited providers from using customer data collected in the course of providing TRS for lobbying or any other purpose except the handling of TRS calls. Id. at 8997; Telecommunications Relay Servs. (2007 Declaratory Ruling), 22 F.C.C.R. 20140, 20176 (2007). Third, the FCC prohibited providers from engaging in various marketing practices designed to increase TRS usage. 2008 Declaratory Ruling, 23 F.C.C.R. at 8998-99; 2007 Declaratory Ruling, 22 F.C.C.R. at 20173-75. Sorenson Communications, Inc. (Sorenson) and GoAmerica, Inc. (GoAmerica), two TRS providers, raise statutory and constitutional challenges to these restrictions. Exercising jurisdiction pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 402(a) and 28 U.S.C. § 2342(1), this court concludes the restriction on using revenue from the TRS Fund for lobbying is arbitrary and capricious because the FCC provided no explanation for why lobbying was singled out for prohibition. This court also concludes the restriction on the use of customer data violates the First Amendment as an impairment of providers' right to engage in political and commercial speech without any showing the restriction is narrowly tailored to advance a significant government interest. GoAmerica's challenge to the restriction on abusive marketing practices is dismissed under 47 U.S.C. § 405(a) because GoAmerica failed to present its argument to the FCC prior to seeking judicial review.