The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) has adopted a Report and Order eliminating three outdated telecommunications relay services (TRS) rules due to advances in technology and voice communications services. TRS enable deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf blind people to communicate with others in a functionally equivalent manner to voice telephone service. Specifically, the Report and Order: (1) repealed the equal access rule requiring TRS users to be allowed to choose a carrier for long distance calls; (2) removed the requirement of providing alternative billing options to TRS users; and (3) removed the requirement that public notices of applications for certification of state TRS programs be published in the Federal Register.
