Bandwidth provides 9-1-1 services to more TRS and VRS companies than anyone. Why? Because we were ready to help when the Federal Communications Commission enacted strict regulations for the provisioning and handling of 9-1-1 calls from the deaf and hard of hearing community.
The FCC mandate decreed that Internet-based TRS users must be offered 10-digit numbers to make and receive relay calls, so that deaf users can be reached by telephone with the same convenience as the non-deaf. This also ensured that emergency calls placed by Internet-based TRS users will be routed directly and automatically to the appropriate emergency services authorities by Internet-based TRS providers.
Bandwidth provides the full suite of services TRS and VRS providers need to meet the FCC’s regulatory mandate: nationwide network origination services including telephone numbers, nationwide network termination services, and 9-1-1 services. Now that the infrastructure and support procedures are in place for TRS providers to accept 9-1-1 calls, the ongoing challenge is to continue to educate the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community on the existence and appropriate use of 9-1-1 service and bring them up to the same level of awareness and comfort in using such services in case of emergency.
The FCC has recently launched several 9-1-1 related proceedings that may affect the TRS and VRS providers in the near future. Bandwidth is carefully monitoring the FCC’s decision making process to ensure that our customers are always one step ahead of any new mandates.
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