PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 07-2762 Released: June 22, 2007 CONSUMER & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BUREAU REMINDS STATES AND INTERSTATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES (TRS) PROVIDERS THAT THE ANNUAL SUMMARY OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS IS DUE MONDAY, JULY 2, 2007, AND THAT THEY HAVE AN ONGOING OBLIGATION TO REPORT CONTACT INFORMATION AND SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES IN THEIR TRS PROGRAMS CG DOCKET NO. 03-123 The Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau reminds states and interstate telecommunications relay services (TRS) providers that they must submit their annual consumer complaint log summaries for the 12-month period ending May 31, 2007, on or before Monday, July 2, 2007. To assist the Commission in monitoring the service quality of TRS providers, the Commission requires state TRS programs and interstate TRS providers to maintain a log of consumer complaints that allege violations of the federal TRS mandatory minimum standards.1 State TRS programs should report all complaints made to the state agency, as well as those made to the state’s TRS provider. TRS providers that provide interstate traditional TRS, interstate Speech-to-Speech (STS), interstate Spanish relay, interstate captioned telephone relay, Video Relay Service (VRS), or IP Relay are also required to submit complaint log summaries. These summaries are intended to provide an early warning system to the Commission of possible service quality problems. Additionally, this information allows the Commission to determine whether a state or interstate TRS provider has appropriately addressed consumer complaints and to spot national trends that may lend themselves to coordinated solutions. This information further enables states to learn how other states are resolving complaints.2 Complaint log summaries should include information pertaining to complaints received between June 1, 2006, and May 31, 2007. Complaint log summaries shall include, at a minimum, the total number of interstate relay calls by type of TRS (i.e., traditional TRS, STS, captioned telephone, IP Relay, VRS), the 1 See Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, FCC 00-56, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 15 FCC Rcd 5140, at 5144- 5145, para. 9 (March 6, 2000) (Improved TRS Order); 47 C.F.R. §64.604(c)(1) (TRS “mandatory minimum standards” requiring filing of consumer complaint logs). 2 Improved TRS Order, 15 FCC Rcd at 5190-5191, para. 122. number of complaints received that allege a violation of the federal TRS mandatory minimum standards, the date of the complaint, the nature of the complaint, the date of its resolution, and an explanation of the resolution.3 State Complaint Log Summary filings must reference CG Docket No. 03-123. All filings should reference the subject Request including the Docket number and DA number of this Public Notice. Filings may be filed using: (1) the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS); or (2) by filing paper copies. Electronic Filers: Filings may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting electronic filings. § For ECFS filers, if multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, filers must transmit one electronic copy of the filing for each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, filers should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic filing by Internet email. To get filing instructions, filers should send an email to ecfs@fcc.gov, and include the following words in the subject line or body of the message: get form . A sample form and directions will be sent in response. Paper Filers: States and interstate TRS providers who choose to submit by paper must submit an original and four copies of each filing on or before Monday, July 2, 2007. To expedite the processing of complaint log summaries, states and interstate TRS providers are encouraged to submit an additional copy to Attn: Arlene Alexander, Federal Communications Commission, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 3-C408, Washington, D.C. 20554 or by email at Arlene.Alexander@fcc.gov. States and interstate TRS providers should also submit electronic disk copies of their complaint log summaries on a standard 3.5 inch diskette or CD-Rom formatted in an IBM compatible format using Word 2003 or compatible software. The electronic media should be submitted in “read-only” mode and must be clearly labeled with the State or interstate TRS provider name, the filing date and captioned “Your State Complaint Log Summary.” Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by electronic media, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). The Commission's contractor will receive hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings or electronic media for the Commission's Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, D.C. 20002. The filing hours at this location are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. Commercial and electronic media sent by overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class mail, Express Mail, and Priority Mail should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Room TW-B204, Washington, D.C. 20554. 3 See 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(1). TRS Programs and Interstate TRS Providers Are Reminded of Obligation Regarding Contact Information and Substantive Changes in Their TRS Program Certified state Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) programs are also reminded that, pursuant to 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(2), they must submit to the Commission a contact person or office for TRS consumer information and complaints about intrastate service. The submission shall include the name and address of the state office that receives complaints, grievances, inquiries and suggestions; the voice, TTY, and fax numbers for that office; the email address; and the physical address to which correspondence should be sent. Similarly, interstate TRS providers are further reminded that pursuant to 47 C.F.R. § 64.604(c)(2) they must submit to the Commission a contact person or office for TRS consumer information and complaints about the provider’s service. The submission shall include the name and address of the office that receives complaints, grievances, inquiries and suggestions; the voice, TTY and fax numbers for that office; the email address; and the physical address to which correspondence should be sent. The Commission must be notified each time there is a change in any of this required information. Any changes in contact information for certified state TRS programs and/or interstate TRS providers should be sent to TRS_POC@fcc.gov. The Commission also reminds certified state TRS programs that pursuant to 47 C.F.R. § 64.605(f)(1) state TRS programs must notify the Commission of any substantive changes in their TRS programs within 60 days of when they occur, and must certify that the state TRS program continues to meet federal minimum standards after implementing the substantive change. Similarly, Video Relay Service (VRS), Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay) service providers and IP Captioned Telephone service providers certified under 47 C.F.R. § 64.605(f)(2) must also notify the Commission of any substantive changes in their TRS programs, services, and features within 60 days of when such changes occur, and certify that they continue to meet federal minimum standards after implementing the substantive change. Notices of substantive changes in TRS Programs must reference CG Docket No. 03-123. Contact information for certified state TRS programs is posted on the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau’s website at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs_contact_list.html; contact information for interstate TRS providers is posted at: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs_providers.html. The full text of this document and copies of any subsequently filed complaint log summary and notices of substantive changes in TRS program documents in this matter will be available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C. 20554. This document and copies of subsequently filed documents in this matter may also be purchased from the Commission’s duplicating contractor at, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, D.C. 20554. Customers may contact the duplicating contractor at their web site www.bcpiweb.com or call 1-800-378-3160. Filings may also be viewed on the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau’s, Disability Rights Office homepage at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). This Public Notice can also be downloaded in Word and Portable Document Format (PDF) at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro. For further information regarding this Public Notice, contact Arlene Alexander, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office (202) 418-0581 (voice), (202) 418-0183 (TTY), or email Arlene.Alexander@fcc.gov. -FCC-