ROCKLIN, CA (MAY 10, 2006) Hands On Video Relay Services, Inc. (HOVRS) today issued a statement commending the Federal Communication Commission’s decision requiring interoperability of Video Relay Service (VRS) equipment distributed to consumers by VRS providers.

HOVRS’s president and CEO Ronald E. Obray comments, "the deaf and hard of hearing community has won a significant battle to ensure that providers of the service, which allows deaf and hard of hearing persons to communicate in their primary visual language, are not creating more barriers for the deaf community than they already face in dealing with the public telephone system."

Mr. Obray added that The California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, which sought the ruling from the FCC, should also be commended for prompting the FCC to issue its ruling. Obray also said that  "the California Coalition has always stepped up to escalate valuable issues confronting the deaf and hard of hearing community, and once again their efforts have proved vital to communication access for not only Californians, but the entire nation."

The effect of the ruling will require all VRS providers to cease blocking consumer access to competing VRS providers on equipment provided to consumers.  HOVRS in 2005 began distributing equipment to consumers which blocked access to competing providers. 

Mr. Obray explained that the company reluctantly did so in response to the long-standing blocking policy of one of its competitors.

VRS is a rapidly growing service that enables deaf, hard of hearing and speech-disabled persons to communicate over the telephone system in their preferred visual language.  Using Sign language transmitted over the internet between consumers and video relay interpreters, HOVRS allows deaf and hard of hearing persons to hold interactive, non text conversations with hearing people in both English and Spanish languages.

On one end of the conversation, the HOVRS customer and interpreters use personal computers equipped with web cameras or video phone devices to communicate visually by sign language across high speed internet links. On the other end of the conversation, the hearing person and a HOVRS interpreter speak orally through the public telephone system.

The company’s interpreters translate American Sign Language (ASL) from the signing customer into spoken communication, thereby "relaying" the deaf or hard of hearing person’s conversation to a hearing person in either English or Spanish. Likewise, the interpreter translates oral communication from the hearing person into ASL and "relays" the message by webcam or videophone to the deaf or hard of hearing consumer.

Mr. Obray said that HOVRS will immediately cease blocking with respect to all new customers, and will remove all previously blocked devices previously installed.   In addition, HOVRS will no longer require customers to sign user agreements.

With the implementation of the FCC’s ruling "video relay services will truly be closer to functional equivalency, because now the consumers can expect that providers will need to be completely focused on the quality of the VRS consumer’s overall experience, while communicating through video relay services." Mr. Obray added.   "HOVRS has always prided itself on its core business of interpreter quality and quick answering speeds;   now service quality will be the focal point of VRS consumers and providers," he said.

Mr. Obray also said that VRS still has many functional equivalency objectives to be realized and that relay services are still below the level of communications functionality that hearing people receive.  "These include conference bridging in sign language, 911 services, standardized phone numbering, mobile accessibility, among other areas that remain technologically behind that of phone services hearing people enjoy on a daily basis."

"HOVRS hopes the FCC will continue to stay focused on accessibility and the right of functional equivalency for the deaf and hard of hearing.  This should be a priority for relay services, and for the FCC to continue to promote the on-going development of new technologies that bring down current communication barriers.  In addition, to bring functional equivalency to the many deaf and hard of hearing persons who lack adequate communications service," he concluded.

About Hands On

Hands On VRS is the recognized leader in Video Relay Services, including both community interpreting and video relay services. The company has been serving the needs of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community since 1992. Hands On is committed to removing communication barriers for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. For more information, visit our website at www.hovrs.com.