[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: 47CFR64.604]

[Page 265-273]
 
                       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. 64.604  Mandatory minimum standards.

    The standards in this section are applicable December 18, 2000, 
except as stated in paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(7) of this section.
    (a) Operational standards--(1) Communications assistant (CA). (i) 
TRS providers are responsible for requiring that all CAs be sufficiently 
trained to effectively meet the specialized communications needs of 
individuals with hearing and speech disabilities.
    (ii) CAs must have competent skills in typing, grammar, spelling, 
interpretation of typewritten ASL, and familiarity with hearing and 
speech disability cultures, languages and etiquette. CAs must possess 
clear and articulate voice communications.
    (iii) CAs must provide a typing speed of a minimum of 60 words per 
minute. Technological aids may be used to

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reach the required typing speed. Providers must give oral-to-type tests 
of CA speed.
    (iv) TRS providers are responsible for requiring that VRS CAs are 
qualified interpreters. A ``qualified interpreter'' is able to interpret 
effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and 
expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary.
    (v) CAs answering and placing a TTY-based TRS or VRS call must stay 
with the call for a minimum of ten minutes. CAs answering and placing an 
STS call must stay with the call for a minimum of fifteen minutes.
    (vi) TRS providers must make best efforts to accommodate a TRS 
user's requested CA gender when a call is initiated and, if a transfer 
occurs, at the time the call is transferred to another CA.
    (vii) TRS shall transmit conversations between TTY and voice callers 
in real time.
    (2) Confidentiality and conversation content. (i) Except as 
authorized by section 705 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 605, CAs 
are prohibited from disclosing the content of any relayed conversation 
regardless of content, and with a limited exception for STS CAs, from 
keeping records of the content of any conversation beyond the duration 
of a call, even if to do so would be inconsistent with state or local 
law. STS CAs may retain information from a particular call in order to 
facilitate the completion of consecutive calls, at the request of the 
user. The caller may request the STS CA to retain such information, or 
the CA may ask the caller if he wants the CA to repeat the same 
information during subsequent calls. The CA may retain the information 
only for as long as it takes to complete the subsequent calls.
    (ii) CAs are prohibited from intentionally altering a relayed 
conversation and, to the extent that it is not inconsistent with 
federal, state or local law regarding use of telephone company 
facilities for illegal purposes, must relay all conversation verbatim 
unless the relay user specifically requests summarization, or if the 
user requests interpretation of an ASL call. An STS CA may facilitate 
the call of an STS user with a speech disability so long as the CA does 
not interfere with the independence of the user, the user maintains 
control of the conversation, and the user does not object. Appropriate 
measures must be taken by relay providers to ensure that confidentiality 
of VRS users is maintained.
    (3) Types of calls. (i) Consistent with the obligations of 
telecommunications carrier operators, CAs are prohibited from refusing 
single or sequential calls or limiting the length of calls utilizing 
relay services.
    (ii) Relay services shall be capable of handling any type of call 
normally provided by telecommunications carriers unless the Commission 
determines that it is not technologically feasible to do so. Relay 
service providers have the burden of proving the infeasibility of 
handling any type of call.
    (iii) Relay service providers are permitted to decline to complete a 
call because credit authorization is denied.
    (iv) Relay services shall be capable of handling pay-per-call calls.
    (v) TRS providers are required to provide the following types of TRS 
calls: (1) Text-to-voice and voice-to-text; (2) VCO, two-line VCO, VCO-
to-TTY, and VCO-to-VCO; (3) HCO, two-line HCO, HCO-to-TTY, HCO-to-HCO.
    (vi) TRS providers are required to provide the following features: 
(1) Call releasefunctionality; (2) speed dialing functionality; and (3) 
three-way calling functionality.
    (vii) Voice mail and interactive menus. CAs must alert the TRS user 
to the presence of a recorded message and interactive menu through a hot 
key on the CA's terminal. The hot key will send text from the CA to the 
consumer's TTY indicating that a recording or interactive menu has been 
encountered. Relay providers shall electronically capture recorded 
messages and retain them for the length of the call. Relay providers may 
not impose any charges for additional calls, which must be made by the 
relay user in order to complete calls involving recorded or interactive 
messages.
    (viii) TRS providers shall provide, as TRS features, answering 
machine and voice mail retrieval.
    (4) Handling of emergency calls. Providers must use a system for 
incoming

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emergency calls that, at a minimum, automatically and immediately 
transfers the caller to an appropriate Public Safety Answering Point 
(PSAP). An appropriate PSAP is either a PSAP that the caller would have 
reached if he had dialed 911 directly, or a PSAP that is capable of 
enabling the dispatch of emergency services to the caller in an 
expeditious manner.
    (5) STS called numbers. Relay providers must offer STS users the 
option to maintain at the relay center a list of names and telephone 
numbers which the STS user calls. When the STS user requests one of 
these names, the CA must repeat the name and state the telephone number 
to the STS user. This information must be transferred to any new STS 
provider.
    (b) Technical standards--(1) ASCII and Baudot. TRS shall be capable 
of communicating with ASCII and Baudot format, at any speed generally in 
use.
    (2) Speed of answer. (i) TRS providers shall ensure adequate TRS 
facility staffing to provide callers with efficient access under 
projected calling volumes, so that the probability of a busy response 
due to CA unavailability shall be functionally equivalent to what a 
voice caller would experience in attempting to reach a party through the 
voice telephone network.
    (ii) TRS facilities shall, except during network failure, answer 85% 
of all calls within 10 seconds by any method which results in the 
caller's call immediately being placed, not put in a queue or on hold. 
The ten seconds begins at the time the call is delivered to the TRS 
facility's network. A TRS facility shall ensure that adequate network 
facilities shall be used in conjunction with TRS so that under projected 
calling volume the probability of a busy response due to loop trunk 
congestion shall be functionally equivalent to what a voice caller would 
experience in attempting to reach a party through the voice telephone 
network.
    (A) The call is considered delivered when the TRS facility's 
equipment accepts the call from the local exchange carrier (LEC) and the 
public switched network actually delivers the call to the TRS facility.
    (B) Abandoned calls shall be included in the speed-of-answer 
calculation.
    (C) A TRS provider's compliance with this rule shall be measured on 
a daily basis.
    (D) The system shall be designed to a P.01 standard.
    (E) A LEC shall provide the call attempt rates and the rates of 
calls blocked between the LEC and the TRS facility to relay 
administrators and TRS providers upon request.
    (iii) Speed of answer requirements for VRS providers are phased-in 
as follows: by January 1, 2006, VRS providers must answer 80% of all 
calls within 180 seconds, measured on a monthly basis; by July 1, 2006, 
VRS providers must answer 80% of all calls within 150 seconds, measured 
on a monthly basis; and by Janury 1, 2007, VRS providers must answer 80% 
of all calls within 120 seconds, measured on a monthly basis. Abandoned 
calls shall be included in the VRS speed of answer calculation.
    (3) Equal access to interexchange carriers. TRS users shall have 
access to their chosen interexchange carrier through the TRS, and to all 
other operator services, to the same extent that such access is provided 
to voice users.
    (4) TRS facilities. (i) TRS shall operate every day, 24 hours a day. 
Relay services that are not mandated by this Commission need not be 
provided every day, 24 hours a day, except VRS.
    (ii) TRS shall have redundancy features functionally equivalent to 
the equipment in normal central offices, including uninterruptible power 
for emergency use.
    (5) Technology. No regulation set forth in this subpart is intended 
to discourage or impair the development of improved technology that 
fosters the availability of telecommunications to person with 
disabilities. TRS facilities are permitted to use SS7 technology or any 
other type of similar technology to enhance the functional equivalency 
and quality of TRS. TRS facilities that utilize SS7 technology shall be 
subject to the Calling Party Telephone Number rules set forth at 47 CFR 
64.1600 et seq.
    (6) Caller ID. When a TRS facility is able to transmit any calling 
party identifying information to the public network, the TRS facility 
must pass through, to the called party, at least one of the following: 
the number of the

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TRS facility, 711, or the 10-digit number of the calling party.
    (c) Functional standards--(1) Consumer complaint logs.(i) States and 
interstate providers must maintain a log of consumer complaints 
including all complaints about TRS in the state, whether filed with the 
TRS provider or the State, and must retain the log until the next 
application for certification is granted. The log shall include, at a 
minimum, the date the complaint was filed, the nature of the complaint, 
the date of resolution, and an explanation of the resolution.
    (ii) Beginning July 1, 2002, states and TRS providers shall submit 
summaries of logs indicating the number of complaints received for the 
12-month period ending May 31 to the Commission by July 1 of each year. 
Summaries of logs submitted to the Commission on July 1, 2001 shall 
indicate the number of complaints received from the date of OMB approval 
through May 31, 2001.
    (2) Contact persons. Beginning on June 30, 2000, State TRS Programs, 
interstate TRS providers, and TRS providers that have state contracts 
must submit to the Commission a contact person and/or office for TRS 
consumer information and complaints about a certified State TRS 
Program's provision of intrastate TRS, or, as appropriate, about the TRS 
provider's service. This submission must include, at a minimum, the 
following:
    (i) The name and address of the office that receives complaints, 
grievances, inquiries, and suggestions;
    (ii) Voice and TTY telephone numbers, fax number, e-mail address, 
and web address; and
    (iii) The physical address to which correspondence should be sent.
    (3) Public access to information. Carriers, through publication in 
their directories, periodic billing inserts, placement of TRS 
instructions in telephone directories, through directory assistance 
services, and incorporation of TTY numbers in telephone directories, 
shall assure that callers in their service areas are aware of the 
availability and use of all forms of TRS. Efforts to educate the public 
about TRS should extend to all segments of the public, including 
individuals who are hard of hearing, speech disabled, and senior 
citizens as well as members of the general population. In addition, each 
common carrier providing telephone voice transmission services shall 
conduct, not later than October 1, 2001, ongoing education and outreach 
programs that publicize the availability of 711 access to TRS in a 
manner reasonably designed to reach the largest number of consumers 
possible.
    (4) Rates. TRS users shall pay rates no greater than the rates paid 
for functionally equivalent voice communication services with respect to 
such factors as the duration of the call, the time of day, and the 
distance from the point of origination to the point of termination.
    (5) Jurisdictional separation of costs--(i) General. Where 
appropriate, costs of providing TRS shall be separated in accordance 
with the jurisdictional separation procedures and standards set forth in 
the Commission's regulations adopted pursuant to section 410 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    (ii) Cost recovery. Costs caused by interstate TRS shall be 
recovered from all subscribers for every interstate service, utilizing a 
shared-funding cost recovery mechanism. Except as noted in this 
paragraph, with respect to VRS, costs caused by intrastate TRS shall be 
recovered from the intrastate jurisdiction. In a state that has a 
certified program under Sec. 64.605, the state agency providing TRS 
shall, through the state's regulatory agency, permit a common carrier to 
recover costs incurred in providing TRS by a method consistent with the 
requirements of this section. Costs caused by the provision of 
interstate and intrastate VRS shall be recovered from all subscribers 
for every interstate service, utilizing a shared-funding cost recovery 
mechanism.
    (iii) Telecommunications Relay Services Fund. Effective July 26, 
1993, an Interstate Cost Recovery Plan, hereinafter referred to as the 
TRS Fund, shall be administered by an entity selected by the Commission 
(administrator). The initial administrator, for an interim period, will 
be the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc.
    (A) Contributions. Every carrier providing interstate 
telecommunications

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services shall contribute to the TRS Fund on the basis of interstate 
end-user telecommunications revenues as described herein. Contributions 
shall be made by all carriers who provide interstate services, 
including, but not limited to, cellular telephone and paging, mobile 
radio, operator services, personal communications service (PCS), access 
(including subscriber line charges), alternative access and special 
access, packet-switched, WATS, 800, 900, message telephone service 
(MTS), private line, telex, telegraph, video, satellite, intraLATA, 
international and resale services.
    (B) Contribution computations. Contributors' contribution to the TRS 
fund shall be the product of their subject revenues for the prior 
calendar year and a contribution factor determined annually by the 
Commission. The contribution factor shall be based on the ratio between 
expected TRS Fund expenses to interstate end-user telecommunications 
revenues. In the event that contributions exceed TRS payments and 
administrative costs, the contribution factor for the following year 
will be adjusted by an appropriate amount, taking into consideration 
projected cost and usage changes. In the event that contributions are 
inadequate, the fund administrator may request authority from the 
Commission to borrow funds commercially, with such debt secured by 
future years' contributions. Each subject carrier must contribute at 
least $25 per year. Carriers whose annual contributions total less than 
$1,200 must pay the entire contribution at the beginning of the 
contribution period. Service providers whose contributions total $1,200 
or more may divide their contributions into equal monthly payments. 
Carriers shall complete and submit, and contributions shall be based on, 
a ``Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet'' (as published by the 
Commission in the Federal Register). The worksheet shall be certified to 
by an officer of the contributor, and subject to verification by the 
Commission or the administrator at the discretion of the Commission. 
Contributors' statements in the worksheet shall be subject to the 
provisions of section 220 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. 
The fund administrator may bill contributors a separate assessment for 
reasonable administrative expenses and interest resulting from improper 
filing or overdue contributions. The Chief of the Consumer & 
Governmental Affairs Bureau may waive, reduce, modify or eliminate 
contributor reporting requirements that prove unnecessary and require 
additional reporting requirements that the Bureau deems necessary to the 
sound and efficient administration of the TRS Fund.
    (C) Data collection from TRS Providers. TRS providers shall provide 
the administrator with true and adequate data necessary to determine TRS 
fund revenue requirements and payments. TRS providers shall provide the 
administrator with the following: total TRS minutes of use, total 
interstate TRS minutes of use, total TRS operating expenses and total 
TRS investment in general accordance with part 32 of the Communications 
Act, and other historical or projected information reasonably requested 
by the administrator for purposes of computing payments and revenue 
requirements. The administrator and the Commission shall have the 
authority to examine, verify and audit data received from TRS providers 
as necessary to assure the accuracy and integrity of fund payments.
    (D) [Reserved]
    (E) Payments to TRS providers. TRS Fund payments shall be 
distributed to TRS providers based on formulas approved or modified by 
the Commission. The administrator shall file schedules of payment 
formulas with the Commission. Such formulas shall be designed to 
compensate TRS providers for reasonable costs of providing interstate 
TRS, and shall be subject to Commission approval. Such formulas shall be 
based on total monthly interstate TRS minutes of use. TRS minutes of use 
for purposes of interstate cost recovery under the TRS Fund are defined 
as the minutes of use for completed interstate TRS calls placed through 
the TRS center beginning after call set-up and concluding after the last 
message call unit. In addition to the data required under paragraph 
(c)(5)(iii)(C) of this section, all TRS providers, including providers 
who are not interexchange carriers, local exchange carriers, or

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certified state relay providers, must submit reports of interstate TRS 
minutes of use to the administrator in order to receive payments. The 
administrator shall establish procedures to verify payment claims, and 
may suspend or delay payments to a TRS provider if the TRS provider 
fails to provide adequate verification of payment upon reasonable 
request, or if directed by the Commission to do so. The TRS Fund 
administrator shall make payments only to eligible TRS providers 
operating pursuant to the mandatory minimum standards as required in 
Sec. 64.604, and after disbursements to the administrator for 
reasonable expenses incurred by it in connection with TRS Fund 
administration. TRS providers receiving payments shall file a form 
prescribed by the administrator. The administrator shall fashion a form 
that is consistent with parts 32 and 36 procedures reasonably tailored 
to meet the needs of TRS providers. The Commission shall have authority 
to audit providers and have access to all data, including carrier 
specific data, collected by the fund administrator. The fund 
administrator shall have authority to audit TRS providers reporting data 
to the administrator. The formulas should appropriately compensate 
interstate providers for the provision of VRS, whether intrastate or 
interstate.
    (F) TRS providers eligible for receiving payments from the TRS Fund 
are:
    (1) TRS facilities operated under contract with and/or by certified 
state TRS programs pursuant to Sec. 64.605; or
    (2) TRS facilities owned by or operated under contract with a common 
carrier providing interstate services operated pursuant to Sec. 64.604; 
or
    (3) Interstate common carriers offering TRS pursuant to Sec. 
64.604.
    (G) Any eligible TRS provider as defined in paragraph (c)(5)(iii)(F) 
of this section shall notify the administrator of its intent to 
participate in the TRS Fund thirty (30) days prior to submitting reports 
of TRS interstate minutes of use in order to receive payment settlements 
for interstate TRS, and failure to file may exclude the TRS provider 
from eligibility for the year.
    (H) Administrator reporting, monitoring, and filing requirements. 
The administrator shall perform all filing and reporting functions 
required in paragraphs (c)(5)(iii)(A) through (c)(5)(iii)(J) of this 
section. TRS payment formulas and revenue requirements shall be filed 
with the Commission on May 1 of each year, to be effective the following 
July 1. The administrator shall report annually to the Commission an 
itemization of monthly administrative costs which shall consist of all 
expenses, receipts, and payments associated with the administration of 
the TRS Fund. The administrator is required to keep the TRS Fund 
separate from all other funds administered by the administrator, shall 
file a cost allocation manual (CAM) and shall provide the Commission 
full access to all data collected pursuant to the administration of the 
TRS Fund. The administrator shall account for the financial transactions 
of the TRS Fund in accordance with generally accepted accounting 
principles for federal agencies and maintain the accounts of the TRS 
Fund in accordance with the United States Government Standard General 
Ledger. When the administrator, or any independent auditor hired by the 
administrator, conducts audits of providers of services under the TRS 
program or contributors to the TRS Fund, such audits shall be conducted 
in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. In 
administering the TRS Fund, the administrator shall also comply with all 
relevant and applicable federal financial management and reporting 
statutes. The administrator shall establish a non-paid voluntary 
advisory committee of persons from the hearing and speech disability 
community, TRS users (voice and text telephone), interstate service 
providers, state representatives, and TRS providers, which will meet at 
reasonable intervals (at least semi-annually) in order to monitor TRS 
cost recovery matters. Each group shall select its own representative to 
the committee. The administrator's annual report shall include a 
discussion of the advisory committee deliberations.
    (I) Information filed with the administrator. The administrator 
shall keep all data obtained from contributors and TRS providers 
confidential and shall

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not disclose such data in company-specific form unless directed to do so 
by the Commission. Subject to any restrictions imposed by the Chief of 
the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, the TRS Fund administrator 
may share data obtained from carriers with the administrators of the 
universal support mechanisms (See 47 CFR 54.701 of this chapter), the 
North American Numbering Plan administration cost recovery (See 47 CFR 
52.16 of this chapter), and the long-term local number portability cost 
recovery (See 47 CFR 52.32 of this chapter). The TRS Fund administrator 
shall keep confidential all data obtained from other administrators. The 
administrator shall not use such data except for purposes of 
administering the TRS Fund, calculating the regulatory fees of 
interstate common carriers, and aggregating such fee payments for 
submission to the Commission. The Commission shall have access to all 
data reported to the administrator, and authority to audit TRS 
providers. Contributors may make requests for Commission nondisclosure 
of company-specific revenue information under Sec. 0.459 of this 
chapter by so indicating on the Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet 
at the time that the subject data are submitted. The Commission shall 
make all decisions regarding nondisclosure of company-specific 
information.
    (J) The administrator's performance and this plan shall be reviewed 
by the Commission after two years.
    (K) All parties providing services or contributions or receiving 
payments under this section are subject to the enforcement provisions 
specified in the Communications Act, the Americans with Disabilities 
Act, and the Commission's rules.
    (6) Complaints--(i) Referral of complaint. If a complaint to the 
Commission alleges a violation of this subpart with respect to 
intrastate TRS within a state and certification of the program of such 
state under Sec. 64.605 is in effect, the Commission shall refer such 
complaint to such state expeditiously.
    (ii) Intrastate complaints shall be resolved by the state within 180 
days after the complaint is first filed with a state entity, regardless 
of whether it is filed with the state relay administrator, a state PUC, 
the relay provider, or with any other state entity.
    (iii) Jurisdiction of Commission. After referring a complaint to a 
state entity under paragraph (c)(6)(i) of this section, or if a 
complaint is filed directly with a state entity, the Commission shall 
exercise jurisdiction over such complaint only if:
    (A) Final action under such state program has not been taken within:
    (1) 180 days after the complaint is filed with such state entity; or
    (2) A shorter period as prescribed by the regulations of such state; 
or
    (B) The Commission determines that such state program is no longer 
qualified for certification under Sec. 64.605.
    (iv) The Commission shall resolve within 180 days after the 
complaint is filed with the Commission any interstate TRS complaint 
alleging a violation of section 225 of the Act or any complaint 
involving intrastate relay services in states without a certified 
program. The Commission shall resolve intrastate complaints over which 
it exercises jurisdiction under paragraph (c)(6)(iii) of this section 
within 180 days.
    (v) Complaint procedures. Complaints against TRS providers for 
alleged violations of this subpart may be either informal or formal.
    (A) Informal complaints--(1) Form. An informal complaint may be 
transmitted to the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau by any 
reasonable means, such as letter, facsimile transmission, telephone 
(voice/TRS/TTY), Internet e-mail, or some other method that would best 
accommodate a complainant's hearing or speech disability.
    (2) Content. An informal complaint shall include the name and 
address of the complainant; the name and address of the TRS provider 
against whom the complaint is made; a statement of facts supporting the 
complainant's allegation that the TRS provided it has violated or is 
violating section 225 of the Act and/or requirements under the 
Commission's rules; the specific relief or satisfaction sought by the 
complainant; and the complainant's preferred format or method of 
response to the complaint by the Commission and the defendant TRS 
provider (such as letter,

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facsimile transmission, telephone (voice/TRS/TTY), Internet e-mail, or 
some other method that would best accommodate the complainant's hearing 
or speech disability).
    (3) Service; designation of agents. The Commission shall promptly 
forward any complaint meeting the requirements of this subsection to the 
TRS provider named in the complaint. Such TRS provider shall be called 
upon to satisfy or answer the complaint within the time specified by the 
Commission. Every TRS provider shall file with the Commission a 
statement designating an agent or agents whose principal responsibility 
will be to receive all complaints, inquiries, orders, decisions, and 
notices and other pronouncements forwarded by the Commission. Such 
designation shall include a name or department designation, business 
address, telephone number (voice and TTY), facsimile number and, if 
available, internet e-mail address.
    (B) Review and disposition of informal complaints. (1) Where it 
appears from the TRS provider's answer, or from other communications 
with the parties, that an informal complaint has been satisfied, the 
Commission may, in its discretion, consider the matter closed without 
response to the complainant or defendant. In all other cases, the 
Commission shall inform the parties of its review and disposition of a 
complaint filed under this subpart. Where practicable, this information 
shall be transmitted to the complainant and defendant in the manner 
requested by the complainant (e.g., letter, facsmile transmission, 
telephone (voice/TRS/TTY) or Internet e-mail.
    (2) A complainant unsatisfied with the defendant's response to the 
informal complaint and the staff's decision to terminate action on the 
informal complaint may file a formal complaint with the Commission 
pursuant to paragraph (c)(6)(v)(C) of this section.
    (C) Formal complaints. A formal complaint shall be in writing, 
addressed to the Federal Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau, 
Telecommunications Consumer Division, Washington, DC 20554 and shall 
contain:
    (1) The name and address of the complainant,
    (2) The name and address of the defendant against whom the complaint 
is made,
    (3) A complete statement of the facts, including supporting data, 
where available, showing that such defendant did or omitted to do 
anything in contravention of this subpart, and
    (4) The relief sought.
    (D) Amended complaints. An amended complaint setting forth 
transactions, occurrences or events which have happened since the filing 
of the original complaint and which relate to the original cause of 
action may be filed with the Commission.
    (E) Number of copies. An original and two copies of all pleadings 
shall be filed.
    (F) Service. (1) Except where a complaint is referred to a state 
pursuant to Sec. 64.604(c)(6)(i), or where a complaint is filed 
directly with a state entity, the Commission will serve on the named 
party a copy of any complaint or amended complaint filed with it, 
together with a notice of the filing of the complaint. Such notice shall 
call upon the defendant to satisfy or answer the complaint in writing 
within the time specified in said notice of complaint.
    (2) All subsequent pleadings and briefs shall be served by the 
filing party on all other parties to the proceeding in accordance with 
the requirements of Sec. 1.47 of this chapter. Proof of such service 
shall also be made in accordance with the requirements of said section.
    (G) Answers to complaints and amended complaints. Any party upon 
whom a copy of a complaint or amended complaint is served under this 
subpart shall serve an answer within the time specified by the 
Commission in its notice of complaint. The answer shall advise the 
parties and the Commission fully and completely of the nature of the 
defense and shall respond specifically to all material allegations of 
the complaint. In cases involving allegations of harm, the answer shall 
indicate what action has been taken or is proposed to be taken to stop 
the occurrence of such harm. Collateral or immaterial issues shall be 
avoided in answers and every effort should be made to narrow the issues. 
Matters alleged

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as affirmative defenses shall be separately stated and numbered. Any 
defendant failing to file and serve an answer within the time and in the 
manner prescribed may be deemed in default.
    (H) Replies to answers or amended answers. Within 10 days after 
service of an answer or an amended answer, a complainant may file and 
serve a reply which shall be responsive to matters contained in such 
answer or amended answer and shall not contain new matter. Failure to 
reply will not be deemed an admission of any allegation contained in 
such answer or amended answer.
    (I) Defective pleadings. Any pleading filed in a complaint 
proceeding that is not in substantial conformity with the requirements 
of the applicable rules in this subpart may be dismissed.
    (7) Treatment of TRS customer information. Beginning on July 21, 
2000, all future contracts between the TRS administrator and the TRS 
vendor shall provide for the transfer of TRS customer profile data from 
the outgoing TRS vendor to the incoming TRS vendor. Such data must be 
disclosed in usable form at least 60 days prior to the provider's last 
day of service provision. Such data may not be used for any purpose 
other than to connect the TRS user with the called parties desired by 
that TRS user. Such information shall not be sold, distributed, shared 
or revealed in any other way by the relay center or its employees, 
unless compelled to do so by lawful order.

[65 FR 38436, June 21, 2000, as amended at 65 FR 54804, Sept. 11, 2000; 
67 FR 13229, Mar. 21, 2002; 68 FR 50977, Aug. 25, 2003; 69 FR 5719, Feb. 
6, 2004; 69 FR 53351, Sept. 1, 2004; 69 FR 55985, Sept. 17, 2004; 69 FR 
57231, Sept. 24, 2004; 70 FR 51658, Aug. 31, 2005]