Category Archives: Editorials/Guest Blogs

Editorial #92: FCC: 800/866 Numbers Are Not Free Anymore

The FCC has issued an order on 800/866 numbers. The FCC has directed that if anyone wants a 800/866 number for their videophone, they will have to pay for it on a monthly basis.

This means those of you who have 800/866 number as your primary number, if you do not want to pay for it, you must use your local number to receive calls. In about a year’s time, if you do not change to a local number and do not pay for your 866 number, you will not be able to receive calls on your videophone.

The FCC (and Dr. Z) in the past has indicated that something like this would be forthcoming and it has happened.

What should you do?

If you already make and receive calls using your local number (not 800/866), you do not have to do anything.

If you use your 800/866 number for others to call you, you must within a year give your friends, relatives and others like your doctor, your local number so they can reach you.

Why is the FCC doing this? They want to be sure that deaf and hard of hearing people receive functionally equivalent communication service, just like hearing people. In this case, hearing people have to pay for their use of 800/866 numbers, so the FCC is saying that deaf and hard of hearing people then have to pay for their use of 800/866 numbers. The copy of the order can be found at this link.

Please take the time to change your 800/866 numbers to local numbers. ZVRS customer service can help you if you wish, by sending an email to help@zvrs.com (click the … to avoid mail spam) or calling ZVRS on VP# 866-932-7891.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.

Z-340–It Now Has Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!

ZVRS has come up with an enhancement to the Z-340 portable videophone–it will have a zoom feature that you can control with the Z-340 remote!

If you already have a Z-340, wait a few days and it will automatically be updated on your device. You do not have to do anything, except to update your firmware when it happens. You do not have to get a new remote–your current remote will work and control the zoom.

To get more information about the zoom feature, click this link. For more information about the Z-340, click this link.

If you want a Z-340 and switch from another device, just go to our website (link) and you will get a Z-340 in a few days!

In addition to the zoom feature, you also have the following features on your Z-340:

-My Mail (where people who call you–deaf, hard of hearing and hearing can leave a video message.) You can view the video message on your pager, or your profile on the website, or on your Z-340 device!
-My Contacts, where you can have your deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people’s video phone number
-My Alert, where incoming calls will beep on your pager and you can go to your Z-340 to answer the call

The Z-340- is also a wireless device which means, with wifi in your home, you can communicate via video from anywhere in your home!

Also, if you have a TV, you can connect your Z-340 to a TV and communicate away!!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z (Philip W. Bravin) is a employee with CSDVRS, currently its Vice-President of Marketing.

Editorial #91-FCC Issues Order re Certification of VRS Providers

The FCC has issued an order (link to order) on certification of VRS providers. This order has raised some eyebrows and the FCC indicates it is doing this to reduce the incidence of abuse and fraud as much as possible.

For those providers who have been previously certified by the FCC will need to be re-certified again at the end of their certification authorization.

The FCC will no longer recognize those providers who have been certified as “common carriers” by the FCC or through their states. They will need to be re-certified by the FCC as a VRS provider.

In order to be certified or re-certified as a VRS provider, the provider MUST employ all interpreters who work as video interpreters. The FCC will not allow any contracted interpreters or use of interpreter agencies as subcontractors. All interpreters must be employees.

In addition, the all centers that interpreters work out must have a legitimate lease or ownership which must be verified by the FCC at their request. Also, anyone who owns more than 10% of a video relay provider must document proof of such ownership and all video relay providers must provide to the FCC a list of all executives and significant employees. All of this is subject to verification by the FCC.

All current uncertified VRS providers must apply for certification by the FCC provided they meet the above requirements in order to provide VRS service. Those providers cannot contract out any resources–they must own or license any resources needed for operating a VRS service.

There’s a lot more in the fine print of the order. The order will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register which usually means 45-60 days from last Friday, when the order was issued.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.

Editorial #90-Sorenson–Please Watch What Your Trainer in The Pacific Northwest Said About 911 Calls from the Z

Dr. Z takes 911 issues seriously, so does the FCC.

Here, we have received reliable information that a Sorenson trainer in the Pacific Northwest area indicated that Z phones would not be able to make 911 calls. That is NOT true! From day 1, ZVRS takes 911 calls seriously and we process dozens of 911 calls every day.

Our website says that in plain english with this link:

http://zvrs.com/company/fcc/911

This webpage has been on our website for over a year now. It has been there since the FCC required all VRS providers to handle 911 calls. All VRS providers are required by the FCC to handle 911 calls.

Sorenson, kindly think twice before assuming anything…ZVRS is proud of whom we are and we stand behind our products and services, including 911 calls.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.

Wow—New Developments that Can Have an Impact on VRS

Google +

Facebook with Skype Video

Upcoming Announcements from Apple (iPhone 5)

Amazon Tablet

After the summer is over, we are bound to see how the sand is shifting in the VRS industry–not only with the new developments above–but with the providers rolling out new and exciting stuff…ZVRS, included!

Stay tuned.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.

Editorial #89-Sorenson–Please Fix Your VP-200 or nTouch to Comply with Industry Standards

Dr. Z has been receiving comments that Sorenson’s VP-200 or nTouch does not always work with other units that do not belong to Sorenson. Sorenson trainers usually point their finger at the other providers. Dr. Z is asking those trainers to point their finger at a mirror.

The fact of the matter is there are industry standards that are published and most technology providers design their units to comply with such standards. ZVRS and other providers make every effort to comply with industry standards for video communication. The VP-200 and the nTouch do not necessarily follow such standards to the letter and that explains why we sometimes do not see videophones connecting with one another.

The solution may be to port your Sorenson unit to providers such as ZVRS so you know you comply with standards and communicate well with other videophones. Try it, you will be surprised at the difference.

Dr. Z takes interopoerability issues seriously and this is one example of Sorenson not placing emphasis on interoperability with other provider’s units/software, choosing to take care of its own.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.

What Do You Need on Your Videophone? ZVRS Has It!

On a summer day, Dr. Z realized he has not discussed the various things one wants on their videophone or smartphone with video for some time…so he is listing them down for you…

–an address book with all your contact phone numbers (both deaf and hearing)
–syncing your address book with your profile on the web (backup in case your address book is lost)
–answering machine for both deaf/hard of hearing and hearing people who call you — they can leave a video message on your videophone
–picking up your message in many different ways–on your pager, smartphone, videophone or the web
–alerting you to an incoming call on your pager
–of course, making and receiving video calls
–making and receiving relay calls using the best, fully certified interpreters
–all of this on how many different devices?

16 devices!!! plus your PC or Mac! (link to devices)

What a choice of devices and features? Go for the Z…ZVRS is your choice in video communication!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z (Philip W. Bravin) is a employee with CSDVRS, currently its Vice-President of Marketing.

Editorial #88-VRS Funding Per Minute or Per Customer? That is What the FCC is Looking At

The FCC has extended the current VRS rates into next year until they have come up with a funding mechanism to pay for VRS.

One of the things they are now looking at and is under discussion is changing the reimbursement to VRS providers from a per minute basis to a per customer basis. That could mean VRS providers will be paid a flat fee per customer served, without regard for the number of minutes each customer uses the service.

This represents a possible major change in how VRS is provided. Is this a good idea? Is this going to be fair? Will this affect the quality of service for deaf and hard of hearing consumers? This requires some thought and further discussion.

Stay tuned.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.

On this Independence Day…Thoughts from Dr. Z

Happy Independence Day from Dr. Z!!

Dr. Z was browsing for a quote most appropriate for today and he came across this…

“Those who won our independence believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty.”–Louis D. Brandeis

Happiness is like a warm puppy—the idea of being able to communicate via video anytime anytime with any device is now reality and this brings happiness to us all at ZVRS for making this possible.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z (Philip W. Bravin) is a employee with CSDVRS, currently its Vice-President of Marketing.

Editorial #87-Verizon Stops Unlimited Data Plan–What’s Next? Why is Dr. Z Worried? (Updated)

First it was AT&T and now its Verizon. There are rumblings other carriers might join. It’s not limited to smartphones, but your cable carrier as well. Time Warner and Comcast are reportedly looking into capping their data plans. Some carriers still allow unlimited data in their plans.

Why is Dr. Z concerned?

When we do video communication, we do not use the audio on the phone or the cable, we use the data portion of the phone or internet on cable. When the carriers cap data, this means if we talk more than the cap is allowed (such as 2 GB), we will have to pay extra for more data that we use in order to talk freely. Most audio plans have monthly minutes which can carry over and the minutes are for 300-600-900 minutes. 2GB of data will probably be good for about 10 hours (600 minutes) of video communication, maybe a bit more.

Dr. Z thinks it’s time for consumers to come to the FCC and ask that the carriers treat the deaf and hard of hearing consumers who use video communication to be treated appropriately and be functionally equivalent as the hearing consumers. There is precedent for this–in the TTY days, ATT used to give deaf and hard of hearing users a discount because it took longer to communicate via typing.

Let us keep an eye on those developments and tell the FCC not to limit our video communication because of the data caps!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclaimer: Dr. Z is currently the Vice-President of Marketing at CSDVRS, LLC.