Recent Articles

Comment Dates Set for FCC's Proceeding to Improve the Video Relay Service Program

February 06, 2012 22:13

By Maria Browne Last week, the Federal Communications Commission’s proceeding to  consider proposed improvements to the structure and efficiency of the video relay service (“VRS”) program was published in the Federal Register, thus setting the deadline for initial...

FCC Adopts Lifeline Reform Order; Link Up Eliminated Except in Tribal Lands

February 01, 2012 15:26

By James Smith and Danielle Frappier The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) yesterday (Jan. 31, 2012) adopted its long-awaited Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Order and Rulemaking) reforming and modernizing the federal Low Income program, with the goals of...

DWT Advisory: FCC Adopts Closed Captioning Rule for Online Video Programming

January 17, 2012 21:35

By Maria T. Browne, Brendan Holland, Brian J. Hurh, and Ronald G. London The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a Report and Order (R&O) establishing rules for the closed captioning of video programming delivered via Internet protocol (i.e., IP video), as required by the 21st...

FCC Releases Final Rules on Closed Captioning for IP-Delivered Video Programming

January 13, 2012 21:34

UPDATE: Our DWT Advisory on the IP Closed Captioning Report and Order is now available here. This afternoon, the FCC released its long-anticipated Report and Order that sets forth the Commission’s new closed captioning rules for IP-delivered video programming, pursuant to the 21st...

Accessibility Rules for Advanced Communication Services Published in Federal Register; Effective Dates Set For Compliance with Accessibility and Recordkeeping Obligations

January 03, 2012 16:35

On December 30, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission's rules for ensuring the accessibility of Advanced Communication Services (e.g., VoIP, electronic text and interoperable video conferencing services) to persons with disabilities was published in the Federal Register, thus setting the...

Revised FCC Form 499-A Released To Include Non-Interconnected VoIP Providers; FCC Registration Required By December 31

November 09, 2011 15:36

The FCC has posted its revised Form 499-A to include "non-interconnected VoIP providers" as a category of required filing entities.  As we discussed previously, new FCC rules now require certain non-interconnected VoIP providers (including one-way services) to...

FCC Requires Certain Non-Interconnected VoIP To Register with FCC and Contribute To Telecom Relay Service Fund

October 12, 2011 18:48

In addition to releasing its final "advanced communications services" accessibility rules this weekend (which requires accessibility of VoIP, texting, and video chat on a wide range of devices and communication services, as I discussed earlier here), the FCC also released its Report...

FCC Releases Final Rules on Accessibility of VoIP, Texting and Video Chat; Rules Cover Incidental Services and Equipment

October 11, 2011 02:17

Over the Columbus Day weekend, the FCC released its final rules (available here) on the accessibility of advanced communications services (ACS).  (ACS includes interconnected and non-interconnected VoIP, electronic messaging services, and interoperable video conferencing services.)...

Internet Closed Captioning Proposed Rules Published in Fed Reg - Comments Due Oct. 18; Replies due Oct. 28

September 28, 2011 14:30

The FCC's proposed rules for Internet closed captioning have been published in the Federal Register (available here), which means that the comment periods are set.  As we discussed in our earlier posting about the NPRM (here), the FCC has set very short deadlines for comments and replies, a...

FCC Releases Proposed Internet Closed Captioning Rules

September 20, 2011 02:02

In a very late release today, the FCC has issued for comment its proposed rules for closed captioning of IP-delivered videos (NPRM available here).  Pursuant to the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (discussed earlier here) and other related events, the FCC is...