FCC Certification

To be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pennsylvania TRS System, established by the Commission in 1990, had to be certified by the FCC. FCC certification must be renewed every five years. In order for a TRS program to be certified, the State must submit documentation to the FCC that describes the program for implementing intrastate telecommunications relay services and the procedures and remedies for enforcing any requirements imposed by the program.

The PUC filed its initial TRS State Certification Application with the FCC on September 29, 1992. By letter dated July 16, 1993, the FCC granted Pennsylvania’s first request for state certification at Application No. TRS-40-92: PENNSYLVANIA. The TRS certification was granted for a five year period beginning July 26, 1993, and ending July 25, 1998.

The PUC filed its second request for state certification at Application No. TRS-97-16: PENNSYLVANIA with the FCC on September 29, 1997. On June 11, 1998, certification was granted for the five year period beginning July 26, 1998, and ending July 25, 2003.

On September 30, 2002, the PUC filed an application requesting recertification of the PA TRS program with the FCC, pursuant to Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, §225 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and §§ 64.601 -- 64.605 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 47 C.F.R. §§ 64.601 -- 64.605, and in accordance with the FCC's Public Notice released May 1, 2002 at DA 02-1006. On May 1, 2003, the PUC received notification from the FCC granting certification of the PA TRS program for the five year period beginning July 27, 2003 and ending July 26,2008.

On October 1, 2012, the PUC filed an application requesting recertification of the PA TRS program with the FCC, pursuant to Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, §225 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and §§ 64.601 -- 64.605 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 47 C.F.R. §§ 64.601 -- 64.605, and in accordance with the FCC's Public Notice released July 25, 2012 at DA 12-1187. On July 8, 2013, FCC Public Notice granted certification of the PA TRS program for the five year period beginning July 26, 2013 and ending July 26, 2018.

On January 11, 2018, the PUC filed an application requesting recertification of the PA TRS program with the FCC, pursuant to Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, §225 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and §§ 64.601 -- 64.605 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 47 C.F.R. §§ 64.601 -- 64.605, and in accordance with the FCC's Public Notice released July 19, 2017 at DA 17-697.  On July 16, 2018, FCC Public Notice granted certification of the PA TRS program for the five-year period beginning July 26, 2018 and ending July 25, 2023.