The Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau has established a pleading cycle to inform its preparation of the biennial report required by the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA). The CVAA requires the Commission to take various steps to ensure that people with disabilities have access to emerging communications technologies in the 21st Century. The CVAA also requires the Commission to submit a report to Congress every two years on the level of compliance with the CVAA’s communications accessibility obligations and the extent to which accessibility barriers still exist to new communications technologies. Specifically, the Bureau seeks comments regarding industry compliance with Communications Act sections 255 (accessibility of telecommunications/VoIP service and equipment), 716 (accessibility of advanced communications services and equipment), and 718 (accessibility of mobile phone internet browsers). The Bureau is also seeking comment on accessibility barriers with respect to “new communications technologies” that are both within and outside the scope of the Act. Comments are due on July 3, 2014, and the report will be submitted to Congress by October 8, 2014.
