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Advocacy: FCC Advisory on Hearing Aid Compatibility with Digital Wireless
FCC Acts to Educate and Alert to Enforcement of Rules;
One of First Advisories Focuses on Hearing Aid Compatibility of Digital Wireless Services
The Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau recently stated its commitment to strong, vigorous and fair enforcement of the Commission’s rules. Enforcement Advisories are now being released, designed to educate businesses about and alert consumers to what’s required by FCC rules, the purpose of those rules and why they’re important to consumers, as well as the consequences of failures to comply.
Here’s an excerpt from one of the first Enforcement Advisories is on Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) and digital wireless services:
Enforcement Bureau Takes Action to Enhance Access to
Digital Wireless Service for Individuals with Hearing Disabilities
Wireless Service Providers and Handset Manufacturers Advised to Review Compliance
The Enforcement Bureau has taken action against several companies for their failure to provide information that helps individuals with hearing disabilities fully utilize wireless phone services – allowing them to communicate effectively on their wireless phones without excessive feedback and noise.
FCC rules require most digital wireless handset manufacturers and wireless service providers to make available a minimum number of hearing aid compatible handsets.[1] In order to ensure that consumers have access to up-to-date information on the availability of those handsets, and to ensure that the Commission can monitor compliance, FCC rules also require these manufacturers and service providers to make periodic status reports and to post specific information on their public web sites. The Enforcement Bureau this week proposed forfeitures totaling $87,000 against seven companies, and issued Citations to two additional companies, for violating the reporting and posting requirements.
The reports and web content provide valuable information to the public concerning the technical testing and commercial availability of hearing aid-compatible handsets, both for consumers, particularly those with hearing disabilities, and for service providers seeking information regarding the hearing aid compatibility of manufacturers’ products. The rules at issue in this week’s actions require the following:
§ Manufacturers were required to submit reports detailing their efforts toward compliance with the hearing aid compatibility requirements on January 15, 2009, on July 15, 2009, and must continue to file them on an annual basis on July 15 thereafter.
To read the full Advisory: http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Enforcement_Advisories/Welcome.htm
- Thanks to NVRC, Fairfax
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