ICT Accessibility Recent TIA Activities Document No: GSC17-PLEN-75 Source: TIA Contact: Cheryl Blum (cblum@tiaonline.org) Steve Whitesell (swhitesell@ieee.org) Brian Scarpelli (bscarpelli@tiaonline.org) GSC Session: Plenary Agenda Item: 6.12 ICT Accessibility Recent TIA Activities Cheryl Blum VP Technology & Standards

ICT Accessibility Recent Standards Activities The TR-41.3 Subcommittee on Analog and Digital Wireline Terminals has finalized and released two new standards addressing receive volume control. ANSI/TIA-4953 specifies performance requirements for high gain telephones designed specifically for people with mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss. TIA-4965 replaces outdated standards referenced in FCC regulatory requirements for receive volume control in telephones intended for general use and was adopted by the FCC under Part 68.317 The TR-41.3 Subcommittee is working to update the receive volume control sections in all of its analog and digital telephone performance requirements standards. -

ICT Accessibility Recent Standards Activities (cont’d) All of these receive volume control standards activities make use of a new and easily understood performance measure called “Conversational Gain.” Conversational gain is a measure of how much louder the sound is than a normal face-to-face conversation at a distance of 1 meter. The TIA-1083-A Hearing Aid Compatibility standard for T-coil coupling now includes performance requirements for phones with digital interfaces, such as VoIP phones, in addition to traditional analog interface wireline phones.

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities - Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) US policy initiatives remain driven by the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) implementation of the CVAA Since the CVAA’s passage, the FCC has released several important related rulemakings, including: October 7, 2011: R&O implementing Sections 716 and 717. These rules became effective January 30, 2012. Covered equipment and services must fully comply with the rules implementing Section 716 by October 8, 2013 April 9, 2013: R&O, FNPRM on accessible emergency information and apparatus requirements (CVAA Sec. 203). Compliance deadline is two years from the date of Federal Register publication. 4

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities - Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) Important forthcoming CVAA-related rulemakings: Section 718 (Internet browsers built into mobile phones) becomes effective on October 8, 2013. October 7, 2011-released item included a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) concerning the implementation of Section 718. Rules are expected soon. 5

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities - Architectural and Transportation Barriers and Compliance Board The US Architectural and Transportation Barriers and Compliance Board sets accessibility guidelines for Federal procurements. In response to a Dec. 2012 Advance NPRM on electronic and information technology accessibility standards, TIA and CTIA urged the Access Board to: Recognize the profound effect of the marketplace for accessible ICT equipment by accepting diverse accessibility solutions Propose goal-oriented functional performance criteria for limited hearing and limited vision Link functional performance criteria with measurable technical provisions that can serve as a “safe harbor” for compliance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking expected by the end of 2013. 6

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities – Text-to-911 In early December 2012, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile agreed to accelerate the availability of text-to-911, with major deployments expected in 2013 and a commitment to nationwide availability by May 15, 2014. http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.nena.org/resource/resmgr/GovAffairs/121206_-_Voluntary_Commitmen.pdf In December of 2012, the FCC proposed rules to facilitate text-to-911 across the US and its territories. Would require that all wireless carriers enable their customers to send text messages to 911 in areas where public safety answering points (PSAPs) are prepared to receive the texts. Requirement would also apply to certain providers of “over the top” text messaging (Internet-based forms of text messaging applications that can be downloaded on mobile devices). 7

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities – Text-to-911 Text-to-911 cont’d On April 2, 2013, TIA and ATIS announced the release of J-STD-110, Joint ATIS/TIA Native SMS to 9-1-1 Requirements & Architecture Specification, a standard that will provide native short message service (SMS)-to-911 capability. http://www.tiaonline.org/news-media/press-releases/atis-and-tia-develop-nationwide-text-9-1-1-solution Fills an immediate need to support SMS to 9-1-1 where possible, prior to the roll out of NGN911 Additional use cases for further study may support roaming, more granular location information and interoperability between voice and SMS 8

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities – Text-to-911 Text-to-911 cont’d TIA has, in related comments to the FCC (http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7022129843): Urged for the adoption of this standard as a “safe harbor” for compliance with any regulations for text-to-911. Opposed the inclusion of 911 requirements on “over the top” SMS-like services as part of an interim solution (better to be addressed in rules for a next generation 911 system). 9

Strategic Direction Steadily the landscape will change for devices and services toward greater accessibility New technologies such as M2M can provide the potential for new and advanced capabilities for accessibility Dialogue to identify standards to pursue would be very useful

Supplementary Slides

ICT Accessibility List of Relevant TIA Standards Existing standards specific to accessibility TIA/EIA-504, Magnetic Field Intensity Criteria for Telephone Compatibility with Hearing Aids (included verbatim in FCC Part 68.316 with reference to original EIA RS-504 publication number). TIA-1083-A, Telecommunications – Telephone Terminal Equipment – Handset Magnetic Measurement Procedures and Performance Requirements (includes requirements like those in TIA/EIA-504 for desired magnetic signals related to voice and adds criteria for suppression of undesired magnetic noise signals).

ICT Accessibility List of Relevant TIA Standards (cont’d) Existing standards that include sections on accessibility TIA-470.110-C, Telecommunications – Telephone Terminal Equipment – Handset Acoustic Performance Requirements for Analog Terminals TIA-810-B, Telecommunications – Telephone Terminal Equipment – Transmission Requirements for Narrowband Digital Telephones TIA-920.110-A, Telecommunications – Telephone Terminal Equipment – Transmission Requirements for Wideband Digital Wireline Telephones with Handsets TIA-TSB-31-D, Telecommunications – Telephone Terminal Equipment – Rationale and Measurement Guidelines for U.S. Network Protection (test methods for HAC and VC)

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities - Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) Sections 716, 717, and 718 are among the new provisions added to the Communications Act by the CVAA. Sections 716 and 718 expand the scope of the Communications Act’s accessibility requirements to cover advanced communications services and equipment, and Internet browsers built into mobile phones, respectively. Section 717(a) addresses the recordkeeping and enforcement obligations of service providers and equipment manufacturers that are subject to Sections 255, 716, and 718. 14

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities - Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) US policy initiatives remain driven by the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) implementation of the CVAA. TIA, representing the ICT manufacturer and vendor community, worked with Congress in the drafting of the CVAA. TIA has submitted numerous filings to the FCC in their implementation of the CVAA, which can be found at http://www.tiaonline.org/policy/accessibility. 15

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities - Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) The CVAA directed the establishment an Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) for the purpose of achieving equal access to emergency services by individuals with disabilities. TIA is a co-chair of the EAAC, represented by David Dzumba. The EAAC conducted a national survey to determine the most effective and efficient technologies and methods by which to enable access to emergency services by individuals with disabilities: http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/EAAC/EAAC-REPORT.pdf The EAAC developed recommendations to implement these technologies and methods: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-312161A1.pdf 16

ICT Accessibility Recent Policy Activities – TIA Conversational Gain (Part 68) Petition for Rulemaking As noted above, TIA has completed its work on a single Conversational Gain standard for analog and digital telephones that can be referenced in Part 68 of the FCC’s rules, which address Terminal Equipment. We have asked the FCC to make this change. TIA’s Petition for Rulemaking: http://www.tiaonline.org/sites/default/files/pages/TIA%20Petition%20for%20Rulemaking%20-%20Part%2068%20%28Terminal%20Equipment%29%20102512.pdf The request has been given a formal docket number (13-46) 17