ok - since diehard biker works for sorenson, chevy57 for purple, how about providing some hard facts ? so far we have a copy and paste info from facebook about cost. right now VRS is getting 6 bucks a min to less then 4 bucks and min. If vrs has 1 call 24 hrs around clock: thats 6 bucks a min $360 bucks an hour for $8640 a day. now multiply that by how many calls a day? If FCC reduce the rate, it becomes $5601 bucks for 24 hours for one call 24hours a day times how many calls?
This tells you they are used to getting thousands of dollars a day, and now they could lose 3k for each 24hrs times how many calls for VRS calls .Granted my numbers are not reality as calls has peaks and dips over 24 hrs during week. Its just a drawing a picture and concept of how this is scaring the VRS companies. They have gotten used to spending all the money they make, havent made any real cuts, only providing small updates in features for making money so it looks like progress over time instead all at once, with recent VRS fraud in history books- I can understand FCC feelings.
However, looking at the big picture- it can be a scary future with no VRS if this is the real picture VRS's is painting for us.
SO whats real, and whats not. The private VRS havent showed the percentage of money actually spent on what ?!
FCC ONLY reimburses for interpreted minutes. So, yes, VRS companies currently get $6 per interpreted minute. But remember, VRS companies have to PAY their interpreters anywhere form $20 to $50 per hour.
Not only that, but the FCC does NOT reimburse for:
-the costs to build thousands and thousands of videophones AND give them away... FOR FREE
-call center monthly lease
-call center electric bill
-internet infrastructure for all the VPs to communicate with one another
-research and development for NEW technology in the future
-professional development for interpreters to help them to get better and better
-salary for administration and management to run a company
That means VRS providers will have to cut somewhere. If VRS providers cut interpreters to save money, then Deaf people will have to hold a long time to connect to an interpreter.
If VRS providers stop building videophones, that means Deaf people who don't yet have videophones can't get them.
If VRS providers stop giving videophones away for free, that means Deaf people will have to buy a videophone.
If VRS providers stop developing new technology, that means no future portable, cellular, high definition VP technology.
If VRS providers can't afford to keep their internet infrastructure up and running, they will have to charge Deaf people a monthly fee to keep it running.
If VRS providers can't provide administrative and management salaries at competitive rates, then nobody will want to run the company and they WILL close down.
Also, if hold times exceed FCC regulations, VRS companies will NOT get reimbursed. So only a limited number of Deaf people will be able to use or have VPs. That means more and more Deaf will have to use TTY or IPRelay to talk through the phone.
I think this is a pretty big deal.