BREAKING NEWS: FCC has issued citations to 25 unauthorized VRS Providers
Breaking News: Federal Communications Commission has issued citations to 25 unauthorized video relay service providers recently for breaking FCC rules and is warning them to fix up or will be fined as much $16,000 a day. I have different VRS Providers Citation PDF report for your viewing below.
Here is some points why citation was given for some reason such as:
As explained below, any future violations of section 225 of the Act or
section 64.601 et seq. of the Commission’s rules may subject the Company to further legal
action, including monetary fines (forfeitures) and/or other penalties.
This section explains why the VRS provider doesn’t allow to get TRS fund.
Again, as discussed above, the stay of section 64.604(c)(5)(iii)(N)(1)(iii) of the Commission’s
rules is temporary. Effective October 1, 2011, or such other date as the Commission may
designate, Eligible Providers will be prohibited from contracting with or otherwise
authorizing any third party to act on their behalf to provide interpretation service or call
center functions unless the third party has been certified by the Commission as an Eligible
Provider (i.e., it will be a violation of section 64.601 et seq. for the Company to offer or
provide VRS, or act on behalf of an Eligible Provider by providing interpretation services
or call center functions, without having obtained from the Commission a certification
authorizing the Company to provide VRS and receive reimbursements directly from the
TRS Fund.)
This section tells that VRS providers to act up or be fined and sued by FCC, as much as $16,000 a day and so therefore, these VRS providers has no certification.
If, after receipt of this citation, the Company. again violates section 225 of the Act or
section 64.601 et seq. of the Commission’s rules, the Commission may impose monetary
forfeitures up to $16,000 for each such violation, or up to $16,000 per day of a continuing
violation. You are advised that the Company’s continued engagement in the activities
discussed above or engaging in the provision of VRS without proper certification after
issuance of this citation is a violation of section 64.601 et seq. and section 225 and could
subject the Company to monetary forfeiture in accordance with section 503 of the
Communications Act.
The unauthorized VRS providers:
ILYVRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/ilyvrs-citation
URRelay - http://www.fcc.gov/document/urrelay-inc-citation
SkyVRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/sky-vrs-citation
Say-Hey VRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/say-hey-inc-citation
CoachVRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/coachvrs-citation
NorthStar Relay LLC - http://www.fcc.gov/document/northstar-relay-llc-citation
callVRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/callvrs-citation
PowerVRS LLC - http://www.fcc.gov/document/powervrs-llc-citation
TruVRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/tru-vrs-llc-citation
OneVRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/one-technologies-llc-citation
IW Relay - http://www.fcc.gov/document/iw-relay-inc-citation
Gracias VRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/gracias-vrs-llc-citation
Deaf Link - http://www.fcc.gov/document/deaf-link-inc-citation
CodaVRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/coda-vrs-corporation-citation
Bamba Relay - http://www.fcc.gov/document/bama-relay-llc-citation
ASLWave - http://www.fcc.gov/document/aslwave-inc-citation
MalkaVRS - http://www.fcc.gov/document/malka-communications-group-inc-citation
I think it’s time to eliminate all white label providers and focus only the providers who is already certified because they are legal. I believe all white label providers are just making quick bang buck and take advantage of us. Remember what happened to Viable? They had not been certified since day one when they first started then they abused the VRS system by frauding the FCC more than $50 million. This is the main reason why FCC decides to revamp the VRS business and make it more strict.
I hope FCC will take this very seriously and stop fraud and waste, I’m tired seeing VRS companies taking advtange of us and abuse our tax payer dollars. We all deaf community had enough. Let’s trim the white label providers at once.
These information is provided by FCC. myVRS Relay Central LLC makes no control over any error or misplaced documents.
I pleased to see a major cleanup.
This is a reminder that the internet based Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), particularly the Video Relay Services VRS, you all know at this point used an idea, a concept, a prototype known as “ocdacrelay” that was stolen from the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center’s director Richard Roehm in 2003. You can learn more about this evidence in great detail at http://www.tinyurl.com/ocdacrelay and before you decide to give your accolades to any member of the TRS industry, or their products, you need to remember that the backbone of it was an idea that was stolen from a deaf person. Please help spread the word out. Kindly forward this message to your friends, associates, and relatives so the truth goes out far and wide.
Comment by Richard Roehm on October 12, 2011 at 5:35 am
interested in learning please – who are you myvrs.org?
thanks for your blog.
we look forward to video relay also with inclusion of quality captioning one day too – one modern system for millions of us – voice and full verbatim speech to text, plus video to be included.
each chooses her/his preferred communication…
best,
http://www.ccacaptioning.org/volunteers/join us
Comment by CCAC (Collaborative for Communication Access via Captioning) on October 12, 2011 at 1:18 pm
17 or 25 VRS? You only listed 17, where is the more list?
Comment by Alan on October 12, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Alan,
I am still finding the others, I was told by FCC that they citations 25 VRS Providers but I seem cant find it, once I get the rest, I will update them here. Thanks!
Comment by admin on October 12, 2011 at 9:59 pm
@ Richard Roehm
You can continue complaining that your idea was stolen… Sorry to pop your bubbles, the first idea of VRS industry was incepted in Texas 7 years before you “invented” the industry. You need to reel back and rebuff on the history of both TRS and VRS industries.
Comment by Big Guy on October 12, 2011 at 11:31 pm
I disagree with you about white label providers. Almost all of them already applied get certification for many years but fcc can’t manage vrs program so they don’t approve or deny application. Many white label providers are deaf owner and provide new innovation. One vrs was first to develop vrs on gtalk. Even sorenson or purple or Zvrs couldn’t develop that. Also purple was fined $17 million to pay back to fcc because of fraud and they are certified so what you say didn’t make sense.
Comment by Michael R on October 13, 2011 at 2:44 am
Michael,
You are right but my point is, why too many white label providers? I do not need to see more abuse and waste. I had enough.
If white label providers already apply for FCC certification, that’s fine but dont you realize to get that will cost them $750,000+ and its not free. Average to get certifited takes years not months.
Sorenson and ZVRS always develop new features and make it easier for everyone like us. Each VRS providers are different and they market whatever they wish.
Purple was fined $17 million because of abusing using VRS call via conference which FCC doesn’t allow. Purple had to pay FCC back to be exact $22 million.
Comment by admin on October 13, 2011 at 2:53 am
Yes, nobody want fraud and abuse. I agree about that. But we want FREEDOM to choose what VRS company we prefer! THAT is free market. Let consumer choose what VRS they prefer, not government tell us what VRS company we must use. Also, maybe you don’t understand history of VRS certification. The companies who currently have VRS certification applied before 2007. No company who applied after 2007 has been approved or denied. FCC do nothing. Just sit there and make companies wait and wait and wait for many years. That is why white label started. Because FCC do nothing! And now they pass new rules that force small deaf-owned VRS companies to close because it is so expensive to buy ACD and staff call center 24/7. This hurts the deaf consumer. It does not help us at all! Now the government has full control over our VRS choices. I think there are other better ways to regulate and make sure no fraud occurs than forcing VRS companies to close. Also, FCC not pay many VRS companies for 3 months now with no explanation why. FCC is taking over too much control of our choices!!!
Comment by Michael R on October 18, 2011 at 6:45 am