[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 3]
[Revised as of October 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR64.601]

[Page 263-265]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
        CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 64_MISCELLANEOUS RULES RELATING TO COMMON CARRIERS--Table of Contents
 
    Subpart F_Telecommunications Relay Services and Related Customer 
            Premises Equipment for Persons With Disabilities
 
Sec. 64.601  Definitions.

    Source: 56 FR 36731, Aug. 1, 1991, unless otherwise noted.


    As used in this subpart, the following definitions apply:

[[Page 264]]

    (1) 711. The abbreviated dialing code for accessing relay services 
anywhere in the United States.
    (2) American Sign Language (ASL). A visual language based on hand 
shape, position, movement, and orientation of the hands in relation to 
each other and the body.
    (3) ASCII. An acronym for American Standard Code for Information 
Interexchange which employs an eight bit code and can operate at any 
standard transmission baud rate including 300, 1200, 2400, and higher.
    (4) Baudot. A seven bit code, only five of which are information 
bits. Baudot is used by some text telephones to communicate with each 
other at a 45.5 baud rate.
    (5) Call release. A TRS feature that allows the CA to sign-off or be 
``released'' from the telephone line after the CA has set up a telephone 
call between the originating TTY caller and a called TTY party, such as 
when a TTY user must go through a TRS facility to contact another TTY 
user because the called TTY party can only be reached through a voice-
only interface, such as a switchboard.
    (6) Common carrier or carrier. Any common carrier engaged in 
interstate Communication by wire or radio as defined in section 3(h) of 
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), and any common 
carrier engaged in intrastate communication by wire or radio, 
notwithstanding sections 2(b) and 221(b) of the Act.
    (7) Communications assistant (CA). A person who transliterates or 
interprets conversation between two or more end users of TRS. CA 
supersedes the term ``TDD operator.''
    (8) Hearing carry over (HCO). A form of TRS where the person with 
the speech disability is able to listen to the other end user and, in 
reply, the CA speaks the text as typed by the person with the speech 
disability. The CA does not type any conversation. Two-line HCO is an 
HCO service that allows TRS users to use one telephone line for hearing 
and the other for sending TTY messages. HCO-to-TTY allows a relay 
conversation to take place between an HCO user and a TTY user. HCO-to-
HCO allows a relay conversation to take place between two HCO users.
    (9) Non-English language relay service. A telecommunications relay 
service that allows persons with hearing or speech disabilities who use 
languages other than English to communicate with voice telephone users 
in a shared language other than English, through a CA who is fluent in 
that language.
    (10) Qualified interpreter. An interpreter who is able to interpret 
effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and 
expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary.
    (11) Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). A facility that has been 
designated to receive 911 calls and route them to emergency services 
personnel as provided in 47 CFR 64.3000(c).
    (12) Speech-to-speech relay service (STS). A telecommunications 
relay service that allows individuals with speech disabilities to 
communicate with voice telephone users through the use of specially 
trained CAs who understand the speech patterns of persons with speech 
disabilities and can repeat the words spoken by that person.
    (13) Speed dialing. A TRS feature that allows a TRS user to place a 
call using a stored number maintained by the TRS facility. In the 
context of TRS, speed dialing allows a TRS user to give the CA a short-
hand'' name or number for the user's most frequently called telephone 
numbers.
    (14) Telecommunications relay services (TRS). Telephone transmission 
services that provide the ability for an individual who has a hearing or 
speech disability to engage in communication by wire or radio with a 
hearing individual in a manner that is functionally equivalent to the 
ability of an individual who does not have a hearing or speech 
disability to communicate using voice communication services by wire or 
radio. Such term includes services that enable two-way communication 
between an individual who uses a text telephone or other nonvoice 
terminal device and an individual who does not use such a device, 
speech-to-speech services, video relay services and non-English relay 
services. TRS supersedes the terms ``dual party relay system,'' 
``message relay services,'' and ``TDD Relay.''

[[Page 265]]

    (15) Text telephone (TTY). A machine that employs graphic 
communication in the transmission of coded signals through a wire or 
radio communication system. TTY supersedes the term ``TDD'' or 
``telecommunications device for the deaf,'' and TT.
    (16) Three-way calling feature. A TRS feature that allows more than 
two parties to be on the telephone line at the same time with the CA.
    (17) Video relay service (VRS). A telecommunications relay service 
that allows people with hearing or speech disabilities who use sign 
language to communicate with voice telephone users through video 
equipment. The video link allows the CA to view and interpret the 
party's signed conversation and relay the conversation back and forth 
with a voice caller.
    (18) Voice carry over (VCO). A form of TRS where the person with the 
hearing disability is able to speak directly to the other end user. The 
CA types the response back to the person with the hearing disability. 
The CA does not voice the conversation. Two-line VCO is a VCO service 
that allows TRS users to use one telephone line for voicing and the 
other for receiving TTY messages. A VCO-to-TTY TRS call allows a relay 
conversation to take place between a VCO user and a TTY user. VCO-to-VCO 
allows a relay conversation to take place between two VCO users.

[68 FR 50976, Aug. 25, 2003, as amended at 69 FR 53351, Sept. 1, 2004]