ATIS Releases Report on Numbering System for Video Relay Services (VRS) Users

January 15, 2008, Washington, DC- ATIS announced today the release of its Numbering for Internet-Based Relay Services Report ( ATIS-0300093), which sets forth recommendations to improve access and delivery of telecommunication relay services (TRS) allowing deaf or hard of hearing individuals to communicate with hearing individuals. The report, developed by the ATIS Industry Numbering Committee (INC), proposes a uniform and static telephone numbering system that will enable deaf and hard of hearing individuals to contact one another or be contacted by other individuals.

In developing the report, which responds to a request from the North American Numbering Council (NANC) of the FCC, ATIS’ INC considered various issues related to Video Relay Services (VRS) and IP Relay Services. These issues include the origination of a VRS call, routing calls to a VRS User’s chosen VRS provider, and a centralized mechanism for associating a VRS User’s telephone number with an IP address. ATIS INC focused on improved interoperability in its report and suggested that VRS Users should have the ability to be assigned and be reached by geographic North American Numbering Plan (NANP) telephone numbers.

The report further proposes the creation of a centralized database to enable call routing from a hearing person to a VRS User. The database will allow hearing individuals to call the toll-free number of a VRS provider that will connect the call to the VRS User. All VRS providers will have access to the database that maps the telephone numbers assigned to VRS Users to an IP address.

“Accessibility and interoperability are key components of relay services,” stated Susan Miller, President and CEO of ATIS. “The numbering strategy and database approaches set forth in the report address these objectives in a consistent manner that will offer VRS Users the functional equivalent to the services users of other telephone networks and VoIP employ to call one another.”

For a copy of the ATIS INC Numbering for Internet-Based Relay Services Report, please visit: http://www.atis.org/INC/Docs/finaldocs/Numbering-for-Internet-Based-Relay-Services-12-19-07.doc.

About INC

Industry Numbering Committee, a standing committee of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) that provides an open forum to address and resolve industry-wide issues associated with planning, administration, allocation, assignment and use of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) numbering resources within the NANP area.

About ATIS

ATIS is a technical planning and standards development organization that is committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Participants from more than 300 communications companies are active in ATIS’ 22 industry committees and Incubator Solutions Program. www.atis.org