Updated ATIS Guidelines Improve Completion of TTY, Other Hearing Impaired Calls

October 3, 2006, Washington – ATIS announces new guidelines that reduce inappropriate blocking on SS7 networks of calls using Text Teletype (TTY) and similar technologies designed to assist customers with hearing and speech disabilities.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) vendors, which supply TTY and Speech-to-Speech Services for individuals with hearing and speech disabilities, are mandated to allow callers their choice of carriers. This means that TRS providers must have direct connection to multiple carriers or, more likely, signal carrier selection information to a LEC. With the ongoing transition of many TRS providers to SS7 networks, new guidelines were required to ensure the successful completion of calls.

ATIS’ Network Interconnection Interoperability Forum (NIIF) recently completed an update to the Telecommunications Relay Service guideline document (ATIS-0300084) that provides detailed information that TRS vendors need to attach each call to ensure their connection and completion across multiple carriers’ SS7 networks.

The guidelines identify that the existing Carrier Selection Parameter (CSP) value of 7 within the SS7 Initial Address Message parameter should now be used by TRS providers and vendors to prevent the unnecessary blocking of calls using Text Teletype (TTY) and similar technologies. The guidelines are available free of charge on the ATIS website at https://www.atis.org/docstore.

The NIIF collaborated with TRS providers and vendors, the ATIS Ordering and Billing Forum, and the ATIS Packet Technologies and Systems Committee to include the SS7 solution in the latest updates.

For more information on NIIF activities, visit www.atis.org/niif.

About ATIS

ATIS is a technical planning and standards development organization that is committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Participants from more than 350 communications companies are active in ATIS’ 23 industry committees and Incubator Solutions Program. www.atis.org

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