Market Monitoring Report on Accessible Telecommunications

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires that “providers of telecommunications services” and “manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment” make their services and products accessible to and usable by people with disabilities when it is “readily achievable” to do so. If it isn’t readily achievable to make telecommunications products and services accessible, then the companies are required to make those products and services compatible with “existing peripheral devices and specialized customer premises equipment, if readily achievable.”

The original Market Monitoring Report was a baseline for telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment and how they address the Access Board Guidelines.

This Market Monitoring Report is an ongoing view of the state of the art of telecommunications access -- what are the current barriers faced by people with disabilities, what products and features are available to overcome those access barriers, and what progress has been made.

The Report consists of two related components:

narrative sections with explanations of the Section 255 Guidelines, descriptions of the different types of telecommunications products and their access features and problems, the Market Monitoring consumer and product research results, and recommendations.

searchable database that links four elements: the Access Board's Section 255 Guidelines, disabilities, access features, and products.

Choose either of these links to begin.