You would think that in this age of interconnectivity that no constituency able to access the Internet would be left behind in an emergency. But that isn''t true. An estimated one million people in the United States who use sign language and broadband technologies still can''t contact 911 and be located by emergency services, even though they log into some of the most sophisticated Internet technologies around.

In late November the Federal Communications Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rule making, asking disability access groups and service providers for suggestions on how to fix the problem. Many people with hearing and speech disabilities use two broadband technologies to make calls: IP Relay and Video Relay Services (VRS). Both are classified as Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS).

IP Relay systems allow users to type text into their Internet connected computer. A Communications Assistant (CA) then speaks the words to the recipient of a call. Video Relay Service systems allow users to visually link up to the CA using a Web cam system on their computer. They then speak to the CA using sign language. The CA then calls the person the user wants to contact and translates the sign language into speech.

Karen Peltz Strauss is a long time advocate for disability access. She lobbied for crucial portions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that dealt with disability issues. Strauss works as a consultant for various disability rights groups. I interviewed her to get a better sense of what needs to be done to make Internet 911 services work for everybody.

Matthew Lasar: The FCC on November 30th put out a Notice of Proposed Rule making, asking for comments on how to make emergency [911] calls using TRS services more effective. What are the problems here that need to be addressed?

Karen Peltz Strauss: The problem is that for IP Relay and IP Video Relay Services, calls that come are not immediately referred to Public Safety Answering Points [PSAPs], because one does not know where the call originated. For regular telecommunications relay services that are text based, operated through the publicly switched telephone network, you know where the call originated just like regular, conventional telephone calls. As soon as a relay call comes in, the relay operator can automatically refer it to the appropriate PSAP.

ML: So the older relay systems on conventional telephones offer emergency services, but the Internet does not. It''s ironic that as technology gets more and more sophisticated, it still leaves people behind.

KS: Well, I agree with you and I worry about that a lot. I worry about it not only for people with disabilities, but for people who don''t. It concerns me that newer Internet technologies are not as reliable with respect to emergency access, at least not yet.

ML: I understand that the FCC has put a waiver on emergency services for these new Internet technologies.

KS: That waiver was put into effect several years ago. It was going to be expiring January 1, 2006. The order that you are talking about actually extends the waiver for another year.

ML: How do you feel about that?

KS: Well, I think it''s necessary, unfortunately. We had actually opposed extending the waivers, we meaning Communication Services for the Deaf, the client that I work with. We had wanted the emergency access to be provided sooner, but right now the technology just isn''t there yet to handle these calls, so I think we need the extra year.

ML: What is the consensus on how to improve these services?

KS: The goal is to have equivalent emergency access to what we have today. Right now we have automatic number identification, automatic location identification, when you dial a 911 number, a voice telephone, or a TTY*, then you get direct access and then the PSAP knows who you are, where you are, your telephone number, et cetera. That''s the goal, to have that capability through Internet relay services.

ML: In March 2000 the FCC recognized VRS as a form of TRS, eligible for compensation from the Interstate TRS fund. Now I take it that this is not mandatory?

KS: It is not mandatory. It is voluntary. We had actually sided with consumers on asking for it to be mandatory. Right now it is being provided by everyone. There''s not a problem with the provision of the service in terms of availability.

There is a problem with a practice among certain providers that we call blocking, which is that when you get their video equipment you cannot access other providers through that equipment. And that''s a problem for Video Relay Services. There are a limited number of interpreters and if that provider''s interpreters are not available, then you get to just sit on the phone and wait for an interpreter to come on. So that''s one improvement we want; we want that blocking practice eliminated.

Another improvement is speed of answer. The FCC has new rules that are going to go into effect on January 1st to shorten the speed of answer, which is basically the amount of time it takes for the relay provider to answer the phone. This only video relay I''m talking about. But even those speeds of answers are very long. Providers can still have people waiting on the phone for from ten to twenty minutes at various times of the month. So that''s another area that we need significant improvement in. And we believe and consumers believe that that will come about in part if the blocking practices are eliminated.

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TTY: Acronym for teletypewriter used to transmit text through a conventional telephone system.