[nfbwatlk] FW: [Wcb-l] Fw: [announce] FCC Federal Register Notice

Thu Sep 23 22:08:08 UTC 2010

  _____  

From: wcb-l-bounces at wcbinfo.org [mailto:wcb-l-bounces at wcbinfo.org] On Behalf
Of Denise Colley
Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2003 11:20 PM
To: wcb list
Subject: [Wcb-l] Fw: [announce] FCC Federal Register Notice

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Eric Bridges <mailto:ebridges at acb.org>  
To: leadership at acb.org ; announce at acb.org 
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 2:17 PM
Subject: [announce] FCC Federal Register Notice

Please feel free to read the below notice to see what the FCC is
specifically inquiring about regarding the accessibility of cell phones to
the blind community. A big thank you to Pratik Patel for his contribution to
ACB's comments!

Eric 

FCC Federal Register notice on Accessible Mobile Phone Options for People
Who Are Blind, Deaf-Blind, or Have Low Vision

Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet
by accessing the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov
<http://www.regulations.gov/> . Filers should follow the instructions
provided on the Web site for submitting comments.

[Federal Register: August 5, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 150)]

[Notices]               

[Page 47304-47305]

>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr05au10-73]                         

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[CG Docket No. 10-145; DA 10-1324]

Accessible Mobile Phone Options for People Who Are Blind, Deaf-

Blind, or Have Low Vision

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission, via the Wireless 

Telecommunications Bureau and the Consumer and Governmental Affairs 

Bureau (``the Bureaus''), seeks input from all stakeholders in order to 

be fully informed on issues raised by consumers and to determine the 

appropriate next steps to achieve telecommunications access. The 

Bureaus seek input on the following issues: The wireless phone features 

and functions in the current marketplace that are not accessible for 

people who are blind, have vision loss, or are deaf-blind and the 

extent to which gaps in accessibility are preventing wireless 

communication access by these populations; the cost and feasibility of 

technical solutions to achieve wireless accessibility for these 

populations; reasons why there are not a greater number of wireless 

phones--particularly among less expensive or moderately-priced handset 

models--that are accessible to people who are blind or have vision 

loss; technical obstacles, if any, to making wireless technologies 

compatible with Braille displays, as well as the cost and feasibility 

of technical solutions to achieve other forms of compatibility with 

wireless products and services for people who are deaf-blind; 

recommendations on the most effective and efficient technical policy 

solutions for addressing the needs of consumers with vision 

disabilities, including those who are deaf-blind; and recommendations 

on actions that the Bureaus or the Commission should take to address 

the current lack of access. For example, is additional guidance needed 

on specific access features that should be included in wireless 

products? Should the Bureaus or the Commission facilitate a dialogue 

among stakeholders in order to reach a specific agreement to address 

the accessibility concerns outlined herein?

DATES: Comments are due on or before September 13, 2010. Reply comments 

are due on or before September 30, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20554. Pursuant to 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.419, interested 

parties may file comments and reply comments regarding document DA 10-

145 on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this 

document. You may submit comments, identified by [CG Docket number 10-

145] by any of the following methods:

     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 

using the Internet by accessing the Commission's Electronic Comment 

Filing System (ECFS) http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/ or the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov <http://www.regulations.gov/>
. Filers should follow 

the instructions provided on the Web site for submitting comments. For 

ECFS filers, in completing the transmittal screen, filers should 

include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the 

applicable docket, which in this instance is CG Docket No. 10-145.

     Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet 

e-mail. To get filing instructions, filers should send an e-mail to 

ecfs at fcc.gov, and include the following words in the body of the 

message, ``get form (your e-mail address).'' A sample form and 

directions will be sent in response.

     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 

file an original and four copies of each filing. Filings can be sent by 

hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by 

first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. In addition, parties 

must send one copy of each pleading to: The Commission's duplicating 

contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20554.

     All filings must be addressed to the Commission's 

Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. 

All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the 

Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 

12th St., SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. All hand deliveries 

must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes 

must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing hours are 

8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

     Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 

Express Mail

[[Page 47305]]

and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol 

Heights, MD 20743. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and 

Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Lyle, Wireless 

Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-1776 (voice), (202) 418-1169 

(TTY), or e-mail at Elizabeth.Lyle at fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 

document DA 10-1324, released July 19, 2010 in CG Docket No. 10-145. 

Document DA 10-1324 was released under a new docket number, CG Docket 

No. 10-145, which shall be captioned ``Accessible Mobile Phone Options 

for People who are Blind, Deaf-blind, or Have Low Vision,'' and include 

all related matters. This new docket number is established to further 

administrative efficiency. The full text of document DA 10-1324 and 

copies of any subsequently filed documents in this matter will be 

available for public inspection and copying via ECFS and during regular 

business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 

12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. They may also be 

purchased from the Commission's duplicating contractor, Best Copy and 

Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, 

Washington, DC 20554, telephone: (202) 488-5300, fax: (202) 488-5563, 

or e-mail http://www.bcpiweb.com. Document DA 10-1324 can also be 

downloaded in Word or Portable Document Format (PDF) at http://

www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/headlines.html.

    People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible 

formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic 

files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504 at fcc.gov or call the 

Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice) or 

(202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    On May 13, 2010, the Bureaus held a workshop on ``Expanding 

Disability Access with Wireless Technologies'' (Wireless Access 

Workshop) to learn more about mobile communications issues facing 

people with disabilities and the ways in which new technologies can 

offer opportunities to meet the communications access needs of this 

community. Participants included stakeholders from the disability 

community, industry, academia, and non-profit organizations. On June 

15, 2010, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau met with twelve 

members of the deaf-blind community, along with representatives of the 

Helen Keller National Center and the American Association of the Deaf-

Blind. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss telecommunications 

and Internet barriers experienced by this population.

    Based on the input that Commission staff received during these 

events, along with the record developed in conjunction with the 

National Broadband Plan, the Bureaus are concerned that people who are 

blind or have other vision disabilities have few accessible and 

affordable wireless phone options. More specifically, according to 

statements made at the workshop, the vast majority of mobile telephones 

are not accessible to this population without the addition of expensive 

software. The Bureaus are also concerned that many wireless 

technologies may not be compatible with Braille displays needed by 

individuals who are deaf-blind. In addition, according to the 

participants of the June 15th meeting, many specialized technologies 

needed to enable wireless telecommunications access for the deaf-blind 

community are cost prohibitive and difficult to find.

Federal Communications Commission.

Karen Peltz Strauss,

Deputy Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.

[FR Doc. 2010-19298 Filed 8-4-10; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712-01-P

=========================

Barbara Jackson LeMoine

Public Policy Assistant

American Council of the Blind

2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 650

Arlington, VA 22201

202-467-5081

blemoine at acb.org

www.acb.org <http://www.acb.org/> 

=========================

The American Council of the Blind is the nation's leading membership
organization of blind and visually impaired people.

  _____  

_______________________________________________
announce mailing list
announce at acb.org
http://www.acb.org/mailman/listinfo/announce

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