The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued an enforcement advisory, warning providers of wireless telephone service to review their compliance with the Commission’s hearing aid compatibility rules and regulations.
The FCC requires that most wireless service providers offer a minimum number of hearing aid-compatible (HAC) handsets, so that hearing-impaired consumers are able to take advantage of wireless communications technology. The Commission monitors compliance with these rules by requiring service providers to file annual reports detailing the availability of HAC handsets, and to post this information on their publically-accessible websites. Annual HAC compliance filings were due to the Commission on January 15, 2013.
Failure to comply with the FCC’s requirements can result in monetary forfeitures starting at $15,000 per violation for each month during the reporting year in which the provider failed to provide the requisite number of HAC wireless handsets. Forfeiture amounts of as much as $150,000 per violation or for each day of a continuing violation, up to a maximum of $1,500,000 for a single violation, are permissible under the Commission’s rules.
Read the complete text of the FCC enforcement advisory warning providers of wireless telephone service to review their compliance with the Commission’s hearing aid compatibility rules and regulations.
