Synopsis: (October 9, 2007) The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a request by the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) to limit the extension of time to six months for implementing 711 access to 911 for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone service providers.

On October 9, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a request by the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) to limit the extension of time to six months for implementing 711 access to 911 for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone service providers.

711 is the nation’s quick-dial number used to reach a relay service center. The 711 relay service connects a call made by a person who is deaf or hard of hearing or who has a speech disability and uses a TTY to a person who uses a telephone, and vice versa. TTY users who use the 711 relay service must be able to reach a 911 service center. Some VoIP providers asked for an indefinite extension to meet this requirement to connect 711 calls to 911; others asked for a two-year delay. Some VoIP providers complained of the difficulties in implementing the call routing. COAT responded quickly to these attempts to delay unduly or indefinitely the achievement of the functionally equivalent ability of VoIP TTY users to call 911 through a 711 relay service.

COAT notes that this is the first Order issued by the FCC that cites to COAT’s position. The FCC agreed with COAT that “a two year extension of the FCC’s deadline on this matter, one which can affect the life, safety and health of people who rely on TRS [telecommunications relay service] for emergency access . . . is not in the public interest.”

COAT, one of the nation’s fastest growing coalitions, advocates for legislative and regulatory safeguards to ensure full access by people with disabilities to evolving high speed broadband, wireless and other Internet protocol (IP) technologies. COAT consists of over 130 national, regional, and community-based organizations dedicated to making sure that, as our nation migrates from legacy public switched-based telecommunications to more versatile and innovative IP-based and other communication technologies, people with disabilities will not be left behind.

Download or view the Order at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-4178A1.doc.