Telecommunications Services for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Recommended Telecommunications Relay Services Cost Recovery Guidelines; Request by Hamilton Telephone Company for Clarification and Temporary Waivers

In this Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), adopts cost-recovery guidelines for telecommunications relay services (TRS), speech-to- speech relay services (STS), and video relay services (VRS). These guidelines are based, in part, on the recommendation of the Interstate TRS Advisory Council and the TRS Fund Administrator (Advisory Council and Fund Administrator, respectively). The MO&O also addresses Hamilton Telephone Company's (Hamilton) petition for clarification. The Commission agrees that, under the current rules, there is no mandate for VRS providers to provide STS. The Commission also finds that VRS providers are not required to provide Spanish relay service at this time. VRS allows individuals with hearing and speech disabilities who use sign language to communicate with voice telephones.