The FCC approved several items last week to improve access to broadband and telecommunications services for persons with disabilities, Native Americans, low-income consumers and small businesses.
Among the items adopted at last week's open commission meeting aimed at advancing the goals were
- A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) aimed at helping to promote the access of persons with disabilities to advanced communications services through manufacturing requirements, enhanced enforcement efforts and expanded access to mobile broadband services;
- An NPRM that would reinstate the commission's video description rules for video programming for broadcast and paid TV;
- An NPRM seeking public comment on whether participation and contribution to the Telecommunications Relay Service Fund should be extended to non-interconnected VoIP service providers;
- A Notice of Inquiry to improve communications services for Native Americans that seeks comment on a number of issues, including greater broadband deployment;
- An NPRM on ways to expand the efficient use of spectrum over tribal lands to improve access to mobile wireless communications.