Comments Due Aug. 23 on Telecom Device Accessibility Tentative Conclusions

Comments are due Aug. 23 on the FCC's tentative findings for the agency's biennial report to Congress required by the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, said a public notice Thursday. The report itself is due Oct. 8. Among those tentative findings, the FCC said various smartphones can deliver accessible telecommunications and advanced communication services (ACS) to a wide range of people with disabilities. It also said the wireless industry continues to exceed agency minimum hearing aid compatibility requirements for wireless handsets. But it said gaps remain for accessible low-end non-smartphones, and little to no recent progress has been made on accessibility of non-smartphones used for telecommunications and ACS for blind or visually impaired individuals.