VRS Providers Press FCC for Waiver; Enterprise Users Hit Telcos on TRS Fund Fee Retroactivity
Video relay service providers urged expedited FCC approval of their waiver petition to serve new users or those ported from other providers while verification is pending through a telecom relay service user registration database. "Such rapid action is particularly justified…
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in this proceeding given the unanimous views of the VRS Providers [petition] and the Consumer Groups [here], as well as the absence of any opposition," replied ASL Services (Global VRS), Convo Communications, Purple Communications, Sorenson Communications and CSDVRS (ZVRS), posted Monday in docket 03-123. Enterprise Users criticized AT&T, Verizon and CenturyLink arguments backing an ITTA petition seeking a ruling that confirms carriers can recover TRS Fund contributions in line-item charges to customers. The telcos ask the FCC "to rewrite history -- to retroactively reverse the Commission's long standing prohibition against the use of line items to recover TRS Fund contributions -- in order to insulate them from the consequences of their current and past unlawful actions," said 3M, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, Office Depot, Sears and a dozen others. They recognized the FCC has the authority to change the rule prospectively.