Pai Touts IP CTS Automated Speech Recognition, FCC Accessibility Efforts; AAA Awards Announced
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said automated speech recognition technology would improve IP captioned telephone services (IP CTS), speeding the delivery of captions to consumers with hearing loss. In remarks to the M-Enabling summit Tuesday, he said last week's ruling approving…
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the technology made clear "that the FCC won’t approve any application to provide ASR unless the provider shows that it will meet our mandatory minimum standards for functional equivalency, including those relating to the confidentiality of IP CTS calls" (see Notebook at end of 1806070021). Pai highlighted actions to improve access for people with disabilities: implementation of video relay service interoperability and a centralized database to improve program accountability and fiscal responsibility; encouragement of direct video calling in customer call centers; a national deaf-blind equipment distribution program; improvements to 911 calling and other emergency communications; an increase of about 75 percent in the number of programming hours that must be video-described on certain channels; and efforts to spur the videogames industry to make communication services more accessible. Pai announced winners of the chairman's awards for innovations that advance accessibility (Chairman's AAA): Orbit Reader 20, Captioning and Description Editing Tool, Content Clarifier and Seeing AI.