Federal Communications Commission DA 21-661 DA 21-661 Released: June 8, 2021 REMINDER THAT ANNUAL SUMMARIES OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES COMPLAINTS ARE DUE BY JULY 1, 2021 REMINDERS OF ONGOING OBLIGATIONS TO REPORT CONTACT INFORMATION AND SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES IN TRS PROGRAMS CG DOCKET NO. 03-123 The Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau reminds state telecommunications relay services (TRS) programs and TRS providers of (1) their annual obligation to submit summaries of their consumer complaint logs on or before Thursday, July 1, 2021, and (2) their ongoing obligations to file and maintain TRS consumer contact information, and to notify the Commission of any substantive program change. Annual Summary of Consumer Complaints To assist the Commission in monitoring the service quality of TRS providers, the Commission requires state TRS programs and interstate and Internet-based TRS providers to collect and maintain a log of consumer complaints alleging violations of the federal TRS mandatory minimum standards. See 47 CFR § 64.604(c)(1)(i); see also Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 15 FCC Rcd 5140, 5144-5145, para. 9 (2000) (Improved TRS Order). State TRS programs and interstate TRS providers are required to log all complaints made to the state agency, as well as those made to the state’s TRS provider. State programs and all TRS providers must file annually with the Commission a summary of the complaint log for the previous year. 47 CFR § 64.604(c)(1)(ii). These summaries are intended to provide an indication to the Commission of possible service quality issues. This information also allows the Commission to determine whether a state or a TRS provider has appropriately addressed consumer complaints, and to spot national trends that may lend themselves to coordinated solutions. Moreover, the information enables states to learn how other states are resolving complaints. Improved TRS Order, 15 FCC Rcd at 5190-5191, para. 122. Complaint log summaries shall cover all complaints received from June 1, 2020, through May 31, 2021, and shall include, at a minimum, the total number of interstate relay calls by type of TRS (i.e., traditional TRS, speech-to-speech (STS), captioned telephone service (CTS), Internet protocol (IP) CTS, IP relay service (IP Relay), and video relay service (VRS)); the number of complaints alleging a violation of the federal TRS mandatory minimum standards; and, for each such complaint, the date of the complaint, the nature of the complaint, the date of its resolution, and an explanation of the resolution. See 47 CFR § 64.604(c)(1). Consumer Contact Information We also remind certified state TRS programs, interstate and Internet-based TRS providers, and TRS providers that have state contracts that they must maintain on file with the Commission the name of a contact person or office, or both, for the receipt of inquiries and complaints from consumers. 47 CFR § 64.604(c)(2). The information on file with the Commission must include, at a minimum, the name and address of the state or TRS office that receives complaints, grievances, inquiries and suggestions; the voice, TTY, and fax numbers, e-mail address, and web address for that office; and the physical address to which correspondence should be sent. Id. The Commission must be notified each time there is a change in any of this required information. Any changes in contact information should be sent to TRS_POC@fcc.gov. Contact information for certified state TRS programs is posted on the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau’s website at: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories; contact information for Internet-based TRS providers is posted at: https://www.fcc.gov/general/internet-based-trs-providers. Notice of Substantive Change in a TRS Program We also remind certified state TRS programs and providers of Internet-based TRS (VRS, IP Relay, and IP CTS) that they must notify the Commission of any substantive changes in their TRS programs within 60 days of when they occur, and must certify that they continue to meet federal mandatory minimum standards after implementing the substantive change. 47 CFR § 64.606(f)(1), (2). Filing Procedures Complaint Log Summary filings and notices of substantive changes in TRS Programs must reference CG Docket No. 03-123. Submissions may be filed in one of two ways: (1) by using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), or (2) by filing paper copies. · Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings. · Paper Filers: o Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. o Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. o Currently, the Commission does not accept any hand delivered or messenger delivered filings as a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19.  In the event that the Commission announces the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, a filing window will be opened at the Commission’s office located at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701. See FCC Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-Delivery Policy, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 2788 (OMD 2020). o Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. o U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail may be addressed to 45 L Street, NE, Washington, DC 20554. o During the time the Commission’s building is closed to the general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient. Access to Filings Filings may be found by searching on the Commission’s ECFS at: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/ (insert CG Docket No. 03-123 into the Proceeding block). 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 and Governmental Affairs Bureau at: (202) 418-0530. This Public Notice can also be downloaded in Word and Portable Document Format (PDF) at: https://www.fcc.gov/general/disability-rights-office. For further information regarding this Public Notice, contact Dana Wilson, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office, (202) 418-2247 (voice) or email: Dana.Wilson@fcc.gov. -FCC- 2