[real-eyes] Article: Blind Customers Take Action against the Cell Phone Industry
- From: "Jim Fettgather" <jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 21:11:48 -0500
>
>Blind Customers Take Action against the Cell Phone Industry
>
>August 2, 2007
>
>Washington, DC - Blind and visually impaired customers are taking>legal
>action against the cell phone industry in an effort to >improve cell phone
>accessibility. This week, 11 customers from
>across the country filed complaints with the Federal>Communications
>Commission (FCC), which enforces Section 255, the>law that requires phones
>to be designed to be accessible for
>people with disabilities. Complaints were filed against both the>cell phone
>carriers and manufacturers.
>
>"These complaints illustrate a market failure on the part of the>cell phone
>industry to address accessibility," said Paul>Schroeder, VP, Programs and
>Policy Group at the American>Foundation for the Blind. "While some
>companies have taken steps,>consumers with vision loss have few good
>options for>accessibility, and almost no reliable information
>about>accessibility."
>
>There is a growing need for accessible phones given the increasing>rates of
>vision loss. Experts predict that by 2030, rates of
>severe vision loss will double along with the country's aging>population.
>For people with vision loss, finding a cell phone with>a readable screen or
>with voice output of essential features like>menus or text messages is
>almost impossible. Some companies, like>AT&T, have taken the lead on
>providing accessible phones. But too>often the handsets and services are
>not designed to be user-friendly for those who are blind or visually
>impaired. Earlier>this month, AFB initiated a campaign called 255 Action to
>help>people with vision loss understand access requirements, and if
>necessary, file complaints. As part of that campaign, AFB sent
>letters to leading cell phone service providers and manufacturers>asking
>what they are doing to meet the needs of people with vision>loss. Frequent
>complaints from blind and visually impaired cell>phone customers include:
>
>* cell phones do not provide for audio output of information> displayed
>on the screen;
>* the visual displays on most phones are hard to read;
>* numeric and control keys are not easy to distinguish by touch;
> and
>* product manuals or phone bills are not available in braille,> large
>print, or other formats they can read.
>* The complaints filed with the FCC came from customers in> Florida,
>Georgia, Colorado, California, and West Virginia.
>
>QUOTES FROM FCC FILINGS
>
>Problems Purchasing Equipment
>
>"In November 2006, I asked for assistance in identifying and>purchasing a
>new telephone. The agent was completely uninformed>regarding available
>phones with built-in accessibility features>for a Blind user. Indeed, the
>representative did not even>understand what features a Blind user would
>need in purchasing a
>phone."Melissa Green, Greeley, CO
>
>Phones Features Are Inaccessible
>
>"I cannot text message, surf the Internet, or use the phonebook.
>Additionally, the numbers displayed on the keypad are too small>for me to
>read, thus I have to use the voice recognition feature>to call contacts in
>my phonebook. This poses some limitations,>because I can only program in
>ten names, yet I have many more>contacts than this amount."Douglas Brooks,
>Winston, GA
>
>"Even after setting my phone's level of brightness to the highest>level, I
>still have to use a closed circuit television (cctv) to>read the text
>displayed. This magnification device is quite large,>encompassing a
>television set with a similar sized stand. This>defeats the "mobile" aspect
>of my phone, since I have to wait
>until I am at home to enter contacts in the phonebook, change>settings,
>etc."Richard Rueda, Union City, CA.
>
>Documentation Is Inaccessible
>
>"Upon receiving my phone, I was given an inaccessible print
>manual>explaining how to use the phone. However, because I am
>totally>Blind, I cannot read the text on the instruction manual. My>phone's
>instruction manual is in a pdf file, which I have>difficulty accessing with
>my computer's screen reading software>because graphical representations are
>used to instruct a person on>how to use the phone."George Roberts, Orlando,
>FL
>
>Phones With Access Software Cost More
>
>"In order to access the features of the MotorolaQ, I had to make>an
>additional out-of-pocket purchase of Mobile Speaks (a screen>reader) to
>access the cell phone features. While this phone is>more accessible than
>the Katana with my add-on software, it was>quite expensive, and I would not
>have purchased it if my previous>phone was accessible. Being Blind forced
>me to stretch my budget>to the limits in order to have access to my cell
>phone's>features."Tony Claive, Winter Park, FL
>
>Customer Service Is Inadequate and Accessibility>Features/Information are
>Unavailable
>
>"I went to my local Sprint store, and explained that I was legally>blind
>and looking for an accessible cell phone. The salesperson>did let me know
>about getting my bill in large print format.
>Sprint's representatives were unable to provide me with a>description of
>the accessibility and compatibility features of>their phones."Dennis Wyant,
>Melbourne, FL
>
>###
>
>Media Contact:
>Adrianna Montague-Gray
>AFB Communications
>212-502-7675
>amontaguegray@xxxxxxx
>
>Press Release at www.afb.org/Section.asp?DocumentID=3596
To subscribe or to leave the list, or to set other subscription options, go to
www.freelists.org/list/real-eyes
Other related posts:
- » [real-eyes] Article: Blind Customers Take Action against the Cell Phone Industry
