{"id":27442,"date":"2021-06-22T10:58:14","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T09:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/?p=27442"},"modified":"2021-06-22T10:58:14","modified_gmt":"2021-06-22T09:58:14","slug":"ofcom-requires-uk-isps-to-offer-emergency-video-relay-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/index.php\/2021\/06\/ofcom-requires-uk-isps-to-offer-emergency-video-relay-service.html","title":{"rendered":"Ofcom Requires UK ISPs to Offer Emergency Video Relay Service"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ofcom<\/a> has today finalised their decision to force all UK broadband and phone providers – oddly including those that may not even deliver phone services – to offer a free (inc. zero-rated data usage), 24\/7 video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users to contact the emergency services, via a dedicated mobile app and website.<\/p>\n

The changes, which were first proposed back in 2019, are designed to ensure that disabled people (particularly deaf users) can access the communications services they need in an emergency (i.e. the principle that disabled people should have equivalent access to emergency communications).<\/p>\n

NOTE:<\/strong> At present, people with hearing or speech impairments can only communicate with others over the phone via an Ofcom<\/a>-approved text relay<\/a> service, and can contact the emergency services by sending a text message to 999.<\/div>\n

Systems like this work by making it possible for deaf users to make a video call, via a connected device, to an interpreter in a call centre. The interpreter then translates what the deaf user is ‘signing’ into spoken English for the emergency services to hear, and then signs what the emergency services are saying back to the deaf end-user.<\/p>\n

Overall, this would be a welcome improvement for those who need it, not least by making emergency communications faster and more accurate. In addition, people will not need to register to use the service. But at the same time, it clearly represents a significant shift for broadband providers, particularly smaller players and those that don’t currently provide phone services.<\/p>\n

Ofcom Statement<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“[Existing] services rely on written English, which can lead to misunderstandings for British Sign Language (BSL) users in emergency situations. We want BSL users to have equivalent access to the emergency services with other people in the UK.<\/p>\n

So, we are now requiring telephone and broadband companies to offer a free, 24\/7 video relay service for BSL users to contact the emergency services, via a dedicated mobile app and website.<\/p>\n

Enabling BSL users to use their first language will make it easier for them to get the help they need for them and others in emergencies. They will be better able to describe the nature of the emergency and understand potentially life-saving instructions from the emergency services.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We should point out that the existing text relay and emergency SMS services are still important and will thus be retained alongside the new emergency video relay service. Under the new rules, telecoms firms can either deliver the service themselves or contract another organisation to do so, but it must be approved by Ofcom<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To be approved by Ofcom, an emergency video relay service will have to meet certain criteria, and the regulator has already started the process of identifying approved suppliers (BT<\/a> seems likely to be one of the options as they already supply voice 999 call handling, text relay and emergency SMS at wholesale). Ofcom currently expects to grant approval to one or more services by January 2022.<\/p>\n

On top of that, the dedicated app and website also need to be designed, and telecoms companies will then need time to contract with the provider of an approved service and prepare for implementation. As such the regulator has given providers until 17th June 2022<\/strong> to introduce an emergency video relay service.<\/p>\n

We should point out that most providers have supported these proposals and favour a wholesale model, although some concerns were raised about the extra cost and complexity involved for broadband providers. As ever the service might be promoted as “free<\/em>” to end-users, but inevitably anything that carries an additional cost for the ISP will always work its way into the price we all pay.<\/p>\n

Speaking of cost, Ofcom told us earlier this year that those ISPs taking a wholesale solution would probably only face a “nominal fee<\/em>“, although it remains to be seen how that translates into reality.<\/p>\n