The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) has granted an informal complaint alleging that Verizon Wireless failed to comply with section 255 of the Communications Act and part 7 of FCC Rules, which require service providers to ensure that their services and equipment are accessible to people with disabilities. The complaint filed by a Verizon customer specifically claims that Verizon’s Premium Visual Voicemail service, which transcribes the first 45 seconds of voicemail messages into text, was inaccessible.
The Bureau ruled that: (1) the informal complaint contained all required information under FCC rules; (2) Verizon failed to meet its burden of proof that the Premium Visual Voicemail service is accessible; and (3) Verizon did not demonstrate its compliance with section 255 of the Communications Act and part 7 of FCC rules.
