{"id":19954,"date":"2012-09-12T17:03:23","date_gmt":"2012-09-12T22:03:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=19954"},"modified":"2012-09-13T13:38:35","modified_gmt":"2012-09-13T18:38:35","slug":"atts-facetime-blocking-hurts-the-deaf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/09\/12\/atts-facetime-blocking-hurts-the-deaf\/","title":{"rendered":"AT&T\u2019s FaceTime Blocking Hurts the Deaf"},"content":{"rendered":"

NOTE FROM DEAFNETWORK: Petition Online link –\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.change.org\/petitions\/at-t-stop-discriminating-against-deaf-customers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

AT&T\u2019s FaceTime Blocking Hurts the Deaf<\/strong><\/p>\n

BY BRENDAN GRAMER<\/p>\n

September 7, 2012<\/p>\n

When I learned that Apple would finally be enabling the iPhone\u2019s
\nFaceTime app to work over mobile connections, I was ecstatic. As
\nsomeone who is deaf, I could now use this one-touch, always-on video
\nchat app to communicate with friends and family in my natural language:
\nAmerican Sign Language (ASL).<\/p>\n

But then I found out that AT&T will block mobile FaceTime unless
\ncustomers sign up for an expensive unlimited voice plan. I wasn\u2019t
\nthrilled with the thought of having to pay this AT&T \u201cdeaf tax\u201d just to
\nuse the mobile data I\u2019m already paying for.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s disappointing that AT&T is standing in the way of innovation that
\naddresses the needs of its deaf and hard-of-hearing customers.
\nSometimes it takes a while (and some prodding) for technology and
\ntechnology companies to catch up to and embrace accessibility. In this
\ncase the technology is there, but it\u2019s AT&T that\u2019s throwing up the
\nbarrier.<\/p>\n

FaceTime is a Revolutionary Product<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the mid-1970s, deaf and hard-of-hearing people been able to make
\nand receive phone calls with the assistance of a Telecommunications
\nRelay Service that enables phone calls through the use of text-input
\nkeyboards. A deaf user types a message, which is then translated by an
\noperator speaking to the person on the other end of the phone call.
\nWhile it is a useful service, TRS still requires typing and
\ncommunicating via the written word instead of ASL.<\/p>\n

This all changed a decade ago when Video Relay Services became widely
\navailable. For the first time, it was possible to have phone
\nconversations using ASL.<\/p>\n

But soon after, cellphones replaced landlines as the primary mode for
\nphone calls. VRS requires the signer to be in front of a
\ncamera-equipped computer or videophone, creating a challenge if you
\nwant to make a call while out of the house. Technology keeps advancing,
\nthough, and smartphones with video calling apps have the power to
\ncreate a seamless communications experience for the deaf and hard of
\nhearing.<\/p>\n

Video calling changes everything. Not only does it make it easier to
\ntake advantage of VRS services, but it allows two people who know ASL
\nto communicate without relying on a third-party interpreter. Apple\u2019s
\nFaceTime is a particularly revolutionary application. I use FaceTime
\noften with family and friends because it\u2019s the easiest way for us to
\nsee and sign to each other.<\/p>\n

Freeing up FaceTime over mobile would literally change our world. We
\nwould be able to communicate with each other during emergencies and
\nother situations when Wi-Fi isn\u2019t available. People who aren\u2019t deaf
\ntake for granted that they can dial their partners\u2019 cellphones to
\nremind them to pick up milk, but for the deaf there have always been
\ntechnological barriers to these kinds of routine communications.<\/p>\n

But AT&T isn\u2019t going to allow this revolution in accessibility to be
\nunleashed \u2014 not unless customers are willing to buy the company\u2019s pricy
\nunlimited voice plans. AT&T does currently sell a \u201cText Accessibility
\nPlan\u201d (which it calls \u201cTAP\u201d), which offers deaf users paying $50 a
\nmonth unlimited texts and 3 gigabytes of monthly data. But again,
\ntexting just isn\u2019t the same as signing. Furthermore, according to
\nAT&T\u2019s website, this plan wasn\u2019t extended to include iPhone 4S owners,
\nand it remains to be seen if it will cover the new iPhone. Perhaps the
\nphasing out of these accessibility plans is just AT&T\u2019s way of
\npressuring consumers into overpaying with their new plans, irrespective
\nof their unique needs or situation.<\/p>\n

AT&T\u2019s FaceTime Blocking Defense Ignores Practical Realities<\/strong><\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t about trying to abuse the system. It\u2019s about the fundamental
\nneed to be able to communicate with each other anytime, anywhere \u2014 and
\nfor the deaf and hard of hearing to be functionally equivalent with
\nhearing people.<\/p>\n

FaceTime is a seamless, straight-out-of-the-box video calling solution.
\nMembers of my wife\u2019s family switched from the Android platform to iOS
\nto use FaceTime because, well, \u201cit just works.\u201d You look up a contact
\non your iPhone, and there\u2019s the option to make a FaceTime call listed
\nright next to the voice and texting options.<\/p>\n

Third-party apps like Skype require installation, set-up and
\nintegration and are not \u201calways on\u201d in the same way FaceTime is.
\nFaceTime\u2019s Wi-Fi limitation has been its only inconvenience, and has
\nled to many missed calls. This is why I personally found AT&T\u2019s
\nassertion that net neutrality rules don\u2019t prevent it from blocking
\n\u201cpreloaded\u201d apps like FaceTime so disappointing, and its boasting that
\nit won\u2019t block FaceTime over Wi-Fi so frustrating.<\/p>\n

Even if AT&T ultimately decides not to block FaceTime for deaf users on
\nits TAP plan, the company\u2019s plans will still hurt deaf and
\nhard-of-hearing customers. Why? Because the company will still block
\nmobile FaceTime for the people we talk to \u2014 our friends and family
\nmembers who are iPhone users and know ASL, but who are not deaf
\nthemselves and thus do not qualify for the TAP plan. The point of
\nhaving a mobile phone is the ability to be in touch anytime, anywhere \u2014
\nnot to have to plan ahead and hope Wi-Fi is available wherever we land.<\/p>\n

The bottom line is that data is data. Whatever we pay for, we should be
\nable to use. AT&T needs to rethink this terribly misguided plan and its
\nimpact on the deaf and hard of hearing.<\/p>\n

SOURCE:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.wired.com\/threatlevel\/2012\/09\/facetime-deaf\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NOTE FROM DEAFNETWORK: Petition Online link –\u00a0 http:\/\/www.change.org\/petitions\/at-t-stop-discriminating-against-deaf-customers AT&T\u2019s FaceTime Blocking Hurts the Deaf BY BRENDAN GRAMER September 7, 2012 When I learned that Apple would finally be enabling the iPhone\u2019s FaceTime app to work over mobile connections, I was…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[2326,1629,722,23,5171,6173,1225,24,15050,7479,40,1232,11396,15049,132,15048,650,64,61,3265,15047],"class_list":["post-19954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-accessibility","tag-american-sign-language","tag-apple","tag-asl","tag-att","tag-brendan-gramer","tag-cell-phone","tag-deaf","tag-deaf-tax","tag-facetime","tag-interpreter","tag-iphone","tag-skype","tag-tap","tag-technology","tag-text-accessibility-plan","tag-video-relay-service","tag-videophone","tag-vrs","tag-wifi","tag-wired"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-5bQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":20720,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/11\/14\/att-expands-facetime-over-cellular-availability\/","url_meta":{"origin":19954,"position":0},"title":"AT&T Expands Facetime Over Cellular Availability","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"November 14, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"AT&T Expands Facetime Over Cellular Availability Video Calling Feature To Be Made Available To LTE Customers on Tiered Data Plans & Deaf and Hard of Hearing Customers With Qualifying Plans Dallas, Texas November 08, 2012 AT&T* today announced it will enable FaceTime over Cellular at no extra charge for iOS\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12694,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2010\/12\/24\/att-introduces-video-relay-service-app-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-users-on-the-app-store\/","url_meta":{"origin":19954,"position":1},"title":"AT&T Introduces Video Relay Service App for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users on the App Store","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"December 24, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"AT&T Introduces Video Relay Service App for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Users on the App Store App Allows Users To Make Video Relay Service Calls With iPhone 4 DALLAS, Dec. 21, 2010 \/PRNewswire\/ -- AT&T* today announced a new video relay service (VRS) app for iPhone 4 that allows\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11560,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2010\/09\/01\/deaf-developers-strive-to-make-movies-more-accessible\/","url_meta":{"origin":19954,"position":2},"title":"Deaf developers strive to make movies more accessible","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"September 1, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Note: Captionfish.com available nationwide including Texas. Check it out! Deaf developers strive to make movies more accessible John Cook Tuesday, August 31, 2010 Finding movie listings these days is a relatively simple process, with multiple outlets publishing show times on the Web and via mobile applications. But if you're deaf,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38991,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2019\/04\/18\/sally-a-play-by-coda-tracey-huguley-5-19-19-austin\/","url_meta":{"origin":19954,"position":3},"title":"SALLY: A Play by CODA Tracey Huguley 5\/19\/19 – Austin","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"April 18, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"SALLY, a play about a hearing daughter of Deaf adults. Written by CODA playwright Tracey Huguley. Come see this play and be a part of \"seeing how a playwright writes a play\"! Where: Vortex Theater, Austin, Texas A public reading of SALLY, a play in development written by Tracey Lynn\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Sallynewapril13-792x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12993,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2011\/01\/24\/zvrs-for-facetime-on-mac-is-here\/","url_meta":{"origin":19954,"position":4},"title":"ZVRS for FaceTime on Mac is Here","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"January 24, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Download ZVRS for FaceTime and make ZVRS calls from your Mac! http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=U3q3M-5BFu8 Go to http:\/\/www.zvrs.com Rogelio Fern\u00e1ndez, Jr Video Solutions Manager - CO, NM, PR, TX Account Executive Spanish VRS vp: (512) 410-1280 f: (512) 837-1444 http:\/\/www.rogeliofernandez.com","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17457,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2012\/01\/31\/huntsville-asl-social-21012\/","url_meta":{"origin":19954,"position":5},"title":"Huntsville ASL Social 2\/10\/12","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"January 31, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Huntsville ASL Social 2\/10\/12 DATE: Friday, February 10, 2012 TIME: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm ADDRESS: New York Joe's 1421 Sam Houston Ave Huntsville, Texas Please join us for our monthly ASL social in Huntsville at New York Joe's on Friday, February 10th! CONTACT PERSON NAME: Holly King CONTACT EMAIL\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19954"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19954\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19972,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19954\/revisions\/19972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}