DAART Campaign fully supports the work TAG is doing in relation to campaigning for additional relay services. TAG is the umbrella body representing deaf, hard of hearing, deafened and deaf-blind organisations in areas of telecommunications and broadcasting.
DAART Campaign is a campaigning group of individual consumers who may or may not have any representation with deaf or hard of hearing organisations and would like to add their voice to see alternative relay services available here in the UK.
DAART Campaign believes that they are complimenting TAG in their work to see alternative relay services established and will continue to communicate with them from the individual consumer viewpoint to ensure that the best outcome is achieved.
DAART Campaign believes that the development of a Telecommunications Relay Fund (TRF) is the best outcome and believes a format where 0.5% of telecommunications revenues are used to support the fund. This will allow any potential relay providers to competitively tender to provide services.
DAART Campaign is also open to other suggestions of how alternative relay services can be funded if they meet the following conditions:
- The funding pool is sustainable on a yearly basis on a permanent basis
- The services are not subject to the yo-yo effect of yearly- repeated annual contracts. These should be a minimum of 3 – 5 year contracts.
- The services are available to all users and are not restricted to certain users and at certain times.
- The services are available 24/7/365.
- The services are not subjected to reduced funding, stifling innovation and taking advantage of new developments in technology.
- That Captioned Telephony Relay Services “CTRS”, Video Relay Services “VRS” and other types of alternative relay services are treated with equal importance to ensure that all sections of the Deaf, hard of hearing, deafened and deaf blind community benefits from functional equivalent access to telecommunications.
- Once the new relay services are in operation, the cost of calls will be functionally equivalent to hearing callers. If there are free calls, then the relayed call from that user will be free regardless who made the call in the first instance – deaf or hearing.
The DAART Campaign will encourage Ofcom and Government not to seek funding solutions that does not meet the conditions mentioned.
