Speech-to-Speech is a telephone access service used by many people with cerebral palsy and other speech disabilities (see www.speechtospeech.org).

The FCC recently raised the Speech-to-Speech interstate reimbursement rate in compliance with the Communications Act 47 U.S.C. § 225. The rational was that potential STS users must have as much information about STS as the general public has about general telephone service. Section 225 implies that information about such access be as readily available to this population, as information about general telephone service is to the public.

Each state must reimburse STS vendors sufficiently to motivate them to educate everyone with speech disabilities who would find STS useful. As far as I know, all states do not comply with this requirement. For example, the STS reimbursement rates per conversation minute in California are as follows:

To Sprint: $1.421 per minute
To Nordia: $1.3752 per minute
To MCI: $1.4058 per minute

The FCC reports provider costs at above $2.50 per minute. Compliance would require each state to set reimbursement rates above that amount. It is in that respect that all states appear to be out of compliance.

This Information is from:
Bob Segalman, Ph.D., Sc.D. (Hon.), Founder of Speech to Speech
President, Speech Communications Assistance by Telephone, Inc.
515 P Street, #403; Sacramento, CA 95814
Call 711, request STS and then ask for me at (916) 448-5517
E-mail: drsts@comcast.net
Website: www.speechtospeech.org
IM: Mensaman1 (in Yahoo) -- the fastest way to reach me.

Bob Segalman’s non-profit is working with various states to ensure that they comply. If anyone wants to work with Bob to ensure that their state complies please contact him.