FCC Consumer Guide: Video Relay Services

Choosing more than one provider

The FCC has become aware of complaints alleging that a Video Relay Service provider may have been contacting VRS consumers and instructing them that they are allowed to use only one provider's videophone equipment. There also have been complaints alleging that the provider may have been telling consumers that in order to receive newer and upgraded videophone equipment from this provider, consumers would be required to surrender videophone equipment provided by competing VRS providers.

FCC rules do not require you to choose or use only one VRS provider. If you accept VRS equipment and service from one provider, you are free to accept and use VRS equipment and service from a competing provider. A VRS provider (or its installers) may not adjust your hardware or software to restrict access to or diminish the quality of your service from any other VRS provider without your consent. This means that a VRS provider may not force or bully you into providing consent, and may not force or bully you into agreeing to remove or alter the equipment that you received from a competing provider. In other words, a VRS provider may not improperly restrict your access to the service that you are receiving from a competing provider.

Although FCC rules require that you have only one "default provider" associated with each videophone number, you are permitted to have multiple default VRS providers, so long as you have a different videophone number associated with each default provider. This means that you have a choice of having one or multiple default providers. If you choose to have more than one default provider, each of your providers must honor your wishes to have more than one default VRS provider.