Transcript Slide 1

A Uniform Numbering Scheme for
VRS Users and Providers
North American Numbering Council
January 24, 2006
VRS Overview
Video Relay Service (VRS) is a form of Telecommunications Relay Service that enables persons
with hearing disabilities who use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate with voice
telephone users through video equipment rather than through typed text.
• Users are able to more fully express themselves through facial expressions and
body language, which cannot be expressed in text.
• Calls flow back and forth like hearing calls
and both users have the ability to “interrupt”.
• Because of more natural flow, the same conversation
is typically shorter in VRS than text-based TRS.
• VRS Calls may be between ASL and either English
or Spanish.
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TRS/IP/VRS Trends
VRS Exceeds
Interstate TRS
April 2005
Source: National Exchange Carriers Association (http://www.neca.org/media/0106TRSIPVRSCOMPARISON.pdf)
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VRS Growth
Source: National Exchange Carriers Association (http://www.neca.org/media/0106VRSCURRENT.pdf)
4
VRS Minutes
Source: National Exchange Carriers Association (http://www.neca.org/media/0106TRSStatus.pdf)
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Conceptual VRS Implementation
Internet
PSTN
ASL Communication
Between Deaf and CA
Deaf or Hard of
Hearing ASL User
Communications Assistant
(Video Interpreter)
Voice Communication
Between Hearing and CA
Hearing User
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Functional Equivalence Issue
•
System Works Fairly Well for Deaf-initiated Calls.
•
Hearing-initiated Calls Are More Problematic.
• Hearing User Must Know:
-
Which VRS Provider to Contact;
-
The Type of “Identifier” Used by that provider;
a)
b)
c)
d)
-
Psuedo Phone Number
“Extension” Number
User Name
IP Address
The Specific Identifier for the Deaf Party
• E911 PSAP Call-back Issue
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VRS and the NANP
• Placing VRS Endpoints on the NANP would approach functional
equivalency for Deaf and Hard-of-hearing.
• Hearing User Dials Deaf User’s Unique 10-digit Telephone Number.
• Carrier Identification Code used to Route to Appropriate VRS
Provider.
• Similar Implementation to VoIP.
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Hearing Initiated Call with NANP
VRS Provider maps 10 Digit #
To IP Address and Completes
Call Routing to VRS Endpoint
10 Digit # Matched to CIC
And Routed to VRS Provider
Internet
PSTN
Gateway
Deaf or Hard of
Hearing ASL User
Communications Assistant
(Video Interpreter)
Hearing User
Dials 10 digit #
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Thank You
Contact Information
Mark A. Ekse
Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.
102 N. Krohn Place
Sioux Falls, SD 57103
(605) 367-5760
[email protected]
Karen Peltz Strauss
KPS Consulting.
3508 Albemarle Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 641-3849
kpsconsulting@starpower,net
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