Massachusetts Representative Edward Markey has introduced legislation into the House of Representatives that would dramatically overhaul the nation's telecom disability laws, extending them to new Internet based communications devices. Meanwhile AT&T has filed a statement with the Federal Communications Commission extolling its services to customers with disabilities, calling itself an "industry leader" in the field.

On December 21st, Markey released a draft bill that would require cell phone manufacturers to significantly upgrade their technologies, making them far more accessible to people with hearing, speech, and sight limitations.

Markey's "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act" would:

• require closed captioning on video programming transmitted by cell phone devices
• require the FCC to initiate a proceeding to "identify methods to render on-screen-displayed text in a manner accessible to individuals who are blind or visually-impaired," including text instructions and texting messages
• require manufacturers to bolster current phone/video technologies to allow people with hearing/voice disabilities to communicate with each other, not just with people without such disabilities
• clarify the legal relationship between the Communications Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, ensuring that both laws use the same definition of "disability"

Meanwhile, on the same day that Markey announced his new bill, AT&T submitted its annual report to the Commission on the corporation's progress in making its services more accessible, fulfilling one of the requirements it agreed to in December of 2006 when the FCC approved its merger with Bell South.

AT&T's statement says that in 2006 the firm:

• handled 2.1 million Internet Relay calls, in which one person sends live text to a Communications Assistant (CA), who then relays the message to the designated receiver
• completed 33,000 Video Relay calls, in which a customer communications to the CA via video conferencing. The CA then transmits the message to the second party
• facilitated 5.5 million Telecommunication Relay Service calls, which use non-Internet based text devices to access telephone system

The filing lists some of AT&T's recent charitable contributions in this area, including:

• $50,000 contributed to the National Disability Institute for its 2008 Real Economic Impact Tour, which provides tax consultation services to people with disabilities
• $25,000 given in 2007 to the American Foundation for the Blind in Dallas for a study of inexpensive speech and screen enlargement technologies that may help adults with impaired vision to access the Internet
• $200,000 in 2007 to Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC, to help the historic venue improve the accessibility of its lobby
• $62,500 to Goodwill Industries of Dallas for a Cyber Cafe for people with disabilities and others without home Internet access

AT&T's statement also says that it is doing research on a remote control device activated by voice.