HD36 - The Future of Dual Party Relay Services in Virginia

  • Published: 1990
  • Author: Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and State Corporation Commission
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 272 (Regular Session, 1989)

Executive Summary:
With the passage of House Bill No. 34, which revised the Code of Virginia thereby empowering the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) to implement a distribution of telephone equipment to hearing-impaired and speech-impaired residents of the Commonwealth, the State of Virginia made the commitment to equitable access to all users of telephone service. The Telecommunications Assistance Program (TAP) implemented subsequent to that Act provides specialized customer premise equipment which allows basic access to the telephone network.

House Joint Resolution No. 272, passed by the 1989 General Assembly, requires VDDHH and the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) to jointly make recommendations concerning implementation of a statewide Dual Party Relay Service (DPRS) in Virginia.

Subsequent to studies of the extent of DPRS services and systems in Virginia and in other states, the VDDHH and SCC make the following recommendations:

1) The Commonwealth of Virginia establish a centralized DPRS whereby a hearing-impaired or speech-impaired person using a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) and a non-TDD user can communicate with each other via telephone. The system shall be of the same level of accessibility and quality as the service provided to other users of the telephone network at a cost to its users not to exceed that charged to non-hearing-impaired and non-speech-impaired persons. The centralized DPRS shall include, but not be limited to, the following considerations: (1) 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week statewide DPRS access with no limitations or restrictions that are not applicable to voice users of the telephone network, (2) the access rate of the DPRS shall exceed or equal 85% of incoming calls answered within 20 seconds and 100% of incoming calls answered within 90 seconds, and (3) the DPRS shall incorporate technological advances, including the capability of voice carry over (VCO).

2) That the SCC, with the expertise of its Communications Division, be responsible for the establishment of the DPRS to include the selection of a competent business entity to operate the relay service. The VDDHH, with its expertise in the needs of DPRS clients, should have the authority to concur in all decisions regarding the establishment.

3)That, after the DPRS is established, the VDDHH he responsible for overseeing its operations. The SCC should give technical support for this function.

4) That, in order to assist the VDDHH in fulfilling its responsibilities with regard to DPRS, an advisory board should be established. The board should be made up of three deaf persons, a hard-of-hearing person, a speech-impaired person, an SCC employee, a VDDHH employee, a representative of the Virginia Telephone Association, and a representative of the relay service provider.

5) That all costs associated with the DPRS, including the expenses of the advisory board, should be funded by assessments on all local exchange telephone companies operating within Virginia. Each company's assessment should be based on its share of all subscriber lines in Virginia. These assessments, when paid, should be allowed as tax credits.