Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!wtm
From: GE0013@SIUCVMB.BITNET (Roy Miller)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Illinois Relay Center
Message-ID: <12639@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 7 Jul 90 04:55:24 GMT
Sender: news@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: GE0013@SIUCVMB.BITNET (Roy Miller)
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Lines: 45
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Index Number: 9049

A  short  while ago,  Patrick Townson shared with the readers  of
this  echo information about the start-up of the  Illinois  Relay
Center  which provides "Dual Party Relay Services" with a  "voice
carry-over" capability.  The Center is now in full operation, and
like  relay  services  everywhere one gets a "busy"  signal  more
often than one would like.   However, the IRC operates 24 hours a
day 7 days a week,  so it represents a quantum leap forward  over
the relay services that were available in Illinois previously.

I  just wanted to clarify a point about the IRC over which  there
may be some confusion.   As Patrick correctly indicated,  the IRC
provides relay services "within" the State of Illinois via a toll
free 800 number.   However,  the "within" may all too easily have
been  overlooked.   The  IRC  will not accept  calls  originating
within  Illinois for any telephone number located outside of  the
state.   Nor will it accept incoming calls from outside the State
of  Illinois for telephone numbers located within  Illinois.   In
essence, it will not handle interstate calls.

My  understanding  is that "for profit" organizations  (like  the
IRC)  are  not  allowed  by present  FCC  regulations  to  handle
interstate calls.   Only "non profit" relay services can do this.
But  the "non profit" services tend to have restricted  hours  of
operation  which  limits  access  for  deaf  callers.   There  is
presently  some  consideratiion being given to changing this  FCC
regulation,  and I would encourage all of you who are  interested
in maximizing  access to  relay  services  to  contact  your   US
Congressman and/or Senator in support of such a change.

                                ROY E. MILLER
                       THE PROFESSOR WHO NEVER LISTENS,
                          BUT WHOSE EYES HEAR A LOT
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