What Can We Expect from Number Order?
Vlog Available at this link:
http://www.edsalert.com/2009/01/16/technology-more-on-service-than-devices/
Happy New Year, Folks!
Here are two links to the Number Order by the FCC. First one is the
“advisory comments” of the Number Order, and the second one is the
Number Order in itself in its all complication splendor.
FCC Consumer Advisory (same one as the last post)
Click to access trstendigit-user-meaning.pdf
Full blown Order on Number – if you want gritty details, click to
this one.
Click to access FCC-08-275A1.pdf
I may need to follow up with a few Vlogs or blog or comments on the
recent Number Order by the FCC. I will decide on which particular
issues to cover with based on comments and video calls I will receive
from some of you. At any rate, I will try to pull out information that
is important to consumers, and leave out the techo-babble and cost
reimbursement stuff.
One thing is clear from the Number Order, though, is that all of us
can get Local Telephone Number (abbreviated to LTN) from VRS and IP
Relay Providers. That’s GREAT news and Exciting!
Here are the basic items:
Once deaf/HOH gets LTN, the LTN can be shared with other deaf who
have VP; but it cannot be just any VP, it has to be a VP that deaf/HOH
got from a VRS provider.
Meaning if a deaf person has a PolyCom Video Phone or pretty much
any video phones that were not distributed by VRS providers, he/she
would need to use an Internet Protocol Address to call other VRS
users. If you did not get your video phone from a VRS Provider, you
will not be able to use that video phone to call 9-1-1. Please use
your TTY instead.
Your LTN can be shared with any hearing person. Hearing persons do
not need two sets of phone numbers to contact a VRS user. Your
telephone number will automatically connect to hearing through the
default VRS provider that YOU chose.
Most VRS Providers, who gave you the equipment, may contact you to
ask you to register to get a telephone number. This telephone number
will be what 9-1-1 identifies when you dial 9-1-1 during times of an
emergency.
Only VRS and IP Relay Providers can give you a new telephone number.
You cannot get a telephone number from a phone company that is not
associated with VRS or IP relay service (not now, maybe in the
future).
Once you get the LNP, you can use it immediately (nice).
Only deaf/HOH can get telephone number for Video Phones; hearing
person at this time cannot get LNP for video phone. (The following is
my comment: I was disappointed to see that, and sincerely hope that
will change in the near future as many of us have hearing relatives,
friends and business associates who can sign.)
Deaf/HOH MUST register with VRS Providers, no exceptions; this means
giving your name, address, where you live, and any important
information that E911 may need to know.
VRS providers are allowed to verify by whatever means to ensure that
deaf/HOH live at that address; not unlike credit card, bank accounts,
etc.
In addition, VRS providers MUST verify that registrants are
deaf/HOH, and allowed to employ procedures to determine that.
So if they ask you questions, these are the reasons why.
The FCC allows for you to use the current “fake telephone
number” (alias and proxy numbers) you have been using up to 6
months. After 6 months, these numbers will not be allowed; 800/866
will be permitted only if “geographical telephone numbers” are
assigned to 800/866 numbers.
In other words, deaf/HOH must have registered and received your
telephone number first, before you can use 800/866.
First 3 months are for “eligibility period”, and the last 3
months is a “permissive calling period”. Meaning that VRS users
must register within the first three months.
After 3 months, VRS providers are required to notify any VRS calls
they receive that VRS users will need to register for LNP. After the
cut-off time (June 30, 2009), VRS providers will not process any VRS
calls if the Video Phone user is not registered with any one of VRS
providers.
Deaf/HOH persons are allowed more than one LNP; for example, one LNP
for Video Phone, and one LNP for pager/laptop.
Right now, due to technical reasons, you will not be able to use the
same telephone number for multiple devices in your home. Meaning, if
you have an Ojo downstairs, and a Sorenson VP200 upstairs, you will
need to get a separate telephone number for each.
Hopefully in the near future, when all the equipments are compatible
with new standards in place, you will be able to have same telephone
number for each device in your home even if different from each other.
However, if you have, for example, two VPADs in your home, i.e.,
downstairs and upstairs; you can use the same telephone number for
both of VPADs.
You will need to check with your provider first to make sure the
devices they gave you can do this type of set up.
To have the same telephone number for VP and Cell Phone/Pager is not
possible; each must be assigned a LNP separately.
However, VRS providers can if they have the feature of “forward
call” where a VRS call can be forwarded to IP, or vice versa. That
is up to VRS providers to offer that, the FCC does not disallow that.
All 911 calls processed by VRS providers must have the capacity to:
Carry a call back number; for example if the video call got
disconnected, then Video Interpreter will need to be able to call back
to VRS user immediately.
Name of relay provider
Video Interpreter or IP Relay Agent identification number
The Caller (deaf/HOH) Registered Location (data needed for the
emergency dispatcher to know where/who/what)
Video Interpreters during an emergency call are allowed to record
everything in case the call to emergency dispatcher gets disconnected,
and Video Interpreter will be able to relate to emergency dispatcher
what happened.
VRS providers are required to put any 911 VRS call to top of its
queue waiting list.
VRS providers CANNOT break into any VRS calls they are processing
and close the regular VRS call then accept an emergency call.
When connecting to a 9-1-1 through VRS the Video Interpreters are
allowed to identify pertinent information from viewing VP (see fire,
gun waving around, etc.) that may help emergency dispatcher assess the
situation realistically.
The following issue is bit complicated; try to read this carefully.
Portability Issue: what this means is if you are not happy with the
VRS service you signed up with in the beginning and want to make a
switch to a new VRS provider, all it requires is that you, the
deaf/HOH person, can simply go to the new Provider and tell them you
want to use their service and keep the telephone number you have. The
new Provider will contact the old Provider to work it out. You do not
have to talk to the old Provider at all.
Important for you to know that at this time; if you switch to new
VRS provider, you may not get the same features that you had with
previous VRS provider. The new Provider may not have the technical
standards to continue the VP’s look on your screen. So it is very
important that you ask if they can do this before you make the switch.
Not all Providers are up to par yet. If the new Provider cannot manage
your existing videophone from their end, then you may be given a new
video phone from the new Provider and you should still be able to keep
your telephone number.
If you have problems with above, please feel free to share with me so
I can inquire with the E911 Stakeholder Council of which I am member
of and working on these issues.
Well, that is about it. Do let us know what you think of this and do
feel free to ask questions; I will either respond via comment or vlog.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed Bosson
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