October 7, 2019 – On November 29, 2017, the FCC released a Report and Order (R&O), Declaratory Ruling, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Further Notice) addressing (1) retirement of landline copper lines and (2) replacement of legacy services (i.e., traditional Plain Old Telephone Service, also known as “POTS”) with next-generation service, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
In the Order, the Commission reminds carriers that when they seek to discontinue legacy services in favor of advanced services, such as VoIP, they must ensure their new services are accessible, compatible, and usable for persons with disabilities. This includes the obligation to ensure that any new services are compatible with peripheral devices and specialized customer premises equipment, such as TTYs and captioned telephones. (See paragraphs 152-54 of the order for more information.)
In the Further Notice, the Commission seeks comment on a proposal to eliminate the requirement for carriers to offer an “adequate outreach plan” and accompanying consumer education materials when discontinuing legacy retail services. (See paragraphs 176-177 of the Further Notice).
Read more at source FCC.gov
