Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe) (01/09/91)
Index Number: 12718 [This is from the Silent Talk Conference] GF> TO U AND ALL WHO READ THIS NET, "MERRY CHRISTMAS: Merry Christmas to you too, George. Looking back, 1990 has been a very good year for the deaf and hearing impaired people in Pennsylvania, as least as far as telephone access goes. First, Bell of PA installed thousands of amplified public phones in the areas of the state they serve. Then the PUC issued the "Certificate of Convenience and Necessity" authorizing the TDD relay service, and AT&T was selected as the contractor. Then Bell put in those Ultratec Public TDDs in the major airports and bus terminals on a trial basis. Not bad for one year, huh? Be sure to make a call on the public TDDs whenever you see one, whether you need to call anyone or not. They are in on a one year trial, to see if they get enough use. So it's use 'em or lose 'em. (Potomac Bell put one in a year ago for a trial at Gallaudet. It got so much usage that I hear they are now installing 40 of them on the campus.) There are still several things that need to be done to improve telephone access. We need to get the non-Bell phone companies do do what Ma Bell did re the amplified phones and TDDs. We need to get PUC to allow AT&T to go interstate with the relay, so Wayne can call home (and the rest of us can call across state lines). And we need to motivate the Turnpike Commission to put in accessible amplified phones and TDDs on the Turnpike. Hope you and all the SilentTalkers have the happiest of holidays. Jack. ... Live, from Beaver County, it's . . . . -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Jack.O'keeffe Internet: Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org