HIST 330 Deafness and Technology: Videophone Relay Services

Introduction
A video relay service (VRS) is a video telecommunication service that allows deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired individuals to communicate over video telephones with hearing people in real-time via a sign language interpreter.

Many thanks to Scot Atkins, NTID Business professor, for his contributions to this section.

Beginning of Videophone Relay Services

Dr. Ed Bosson is the "father of the video relay service." Bosson's role in the videophone technology industry is significant, as he envisioned the technology and worked tirelessly to secure funding and establish the first video relay interpreting trial. His dedication to improving communication access for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community paved the way for developing video relay services and advancing videophone technology.

Bosson was a Deaf employee who worked for the Texas Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and envisioned Deaf people communicating with videophones more than ten years before the FCC mandated it nationally. The Texas legislature adopted House Bill 174 in 1989, establishing a statewide telecommunications relay service to provide telephone network access for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, Deafblind, or speech-impaired individuals. This service required customers to type text on older TTYs to an operator who relayed the calls to the hearing party. The Texas Universal Services Fund started the "Relay Texas" service in 1990, and this became a funding model for other states, inspiring a video-based relay service.

 Bosson secured funding for the first video relay interpreting trial and worked with Mark Seeger of  Sprint to establish the trial in 1995 in three locations in Austin, Texas. The trial was a success, and a second trial was conducted in 1996 in 10 public locations throughout Texas. The success of the Texas trials led to subsequent VRS trials in other states.

Today, video relay services are essential for communication access for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Technology has advanced significantly, and individuals can now use video relay services from their smartphones, tablets, and laptops, making communication more accessible than ever before. Bosson's contributions to the development of VRS technology have significantly impacted the lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, allowing them to communicate more easily and naturally with the hearing world.

Europe's Relay Services

Sweden established the first state-run VRS service in 1997, led by engineer Gunnar Hellstrom who was inspired by the VRS trial in Texas after meeting with Ed Bosson in 1995. Other European countries, such as Germany and Nordic countries, started offering VRS services in the mid-2000s.

Development of Videophone Relay Services

Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) played a significant role in the development of Video Relay Service (VRS) and relay services for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) community. In 1998, CSD conducted a VRS trial in Washington state, utilizing ISDN technology for data transmission. However, due to the high costs and non-feasibility of using ISDN lines in the Deaf community, CSD invested in developing a VRS that utilized emerging video technology over the internet, known as Video over Internet Protocol (VOIP).

By 2002, CSD had invested heavily in creating a national VRS platform that complied with existing FCC Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) standards. CSD became the first company to officially provide relay services with FCC funding, and it established 10 public VRS stations at the Deaf Way II event in Washington D.C. in 2002 to help market the new VRS service to DHH consumers. CSD utilized Microsoft Netmeeting and D-Links for its video stations and started marketing VRS Service soon after that event.

CSD continues to provide relay services for the DHH community, including VRS, and is a Deaf-owned and operated non-profit organization serving DHH people since 1975. 

Sorenson did not focus on VRS until after CSD's successful VRS trial in Washington state. In 2003, Sorenson introduced their own VRS service, called Sorenson VRS, which utilized its proprietary video compression algorithm and hardware. Sorenson quickly became a major player in the VRS industry, as they could provide high-quality video and a reliable service. Sorenson also heavily marketed their service to the Deaf community, sponsoring Deaf events and offering incentives for new users to sign up.  Sorenson's VP-100 videophone was the first designed for video relay service. The VP-100 was small, compact, and user-friendly, and it was designed to work over standard internet connections. Sorenson's VRS service quickly became popular, and the company rapidly expanded its operations. In 2005, Sorenson introduced its second-generation videophone, the VP-200, which was even more advanced and user-friendly than its predecessor.

As Sorenson dominated the VRS market, other companies struggled to compete. One of the major challenges for these companies was the cost of setting up and maintaining VRS centers, which required a significant investment in equipment, infrastructure, and personnel. Sorenson, with its financial resources and large customer base, was able to maintain a competitive advantage over smaller VRS providers.

In addition to competition between VRS providers, the rise of VRS also impacted the broader interpreting industry. As more interpreters were hired to work in VRS centers, this affected the supply of interpreters available for other types of interpreting, such as community interpreting. The higher rates paid by VRS providers also affected the rates charged by interpreter agencies for their services.

Since the launch of VRS, technology has continued to evolve and improve. Today, VRS providers use high-definition video technology and software and hardware solutions to ensure that DHH individuals can access effective communication services. Technology has transformed the way that DHH people communicate with others, and it has helped to break down many of the barriers that have historically prevented them from fully participating in society.

Fraud

During the late 2000s, fraud became a significant problem in the VRS industry, with some companies making fraudulent billings for VRS calls. This led to Department of Justice investigations, with indictments handed down in 2009 to 26 individuals for stealing millions of dollars from the FCC's VRS program through fraudulent claims. This fraud was not limited to VRS companies, as some independent interpreting agencies that VRS companies contracted with were also found to have engaged in fraudulent billing. As a result, the FCC created new rules, including prohibiting VRS companies from subcontracting for interpreting labor, and several VRS companies eventually closed due to the fallout from the fraud investigations. However, a new VRS company called Convo Communications was formed in 2009, owned and operated by DHH individuals, focusing on ethical practices and compliance with FCC guidelines.

Convo Communications' platform was built with an emphasis on providing a high-quality user experience, with a focus on video and sound quality, ease of use, and reliability. The company also placed a strong emphasis on customer service and support, offering a dedicated support team that was available 24/7 to answer questions and address concerns.

Convo's commitment to quality and customer service paid off, as the company quickly gained a loyal following among Deaf and hard-of-hearing users. In addition to offering VRS services, Convo developed several other innovative products and services, such as a mobile app for remote interpreting and a video messaging platform.

Convo Communications remains one of the leading VRS providers in the United States and is recognized for its commitment to quality, customer service, and ethical business practices. The company continues to innovate and develop new products and services and is dedicated to empowering the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community through technology.

Despite the dark phase caused by fraud in the VRS industry, the market continued to evolve. In 2010, Sorenson introduced the ntouch® VP videophone, a new and improved version of their popular VP-100. The ntouch VP incorporated new features such as high-definition video, enhanced video quality, and a larger screen. Sorenson continued to dominate the market, capturing over 70% of the market share.

In response, other VRS providers, such as ZVRS, Purple VRS, and Convo Communications, began to innovate and offer their versions of advanced videophones with unique features. In 2011, ZVRS introduced the Z-20, a portable videophone with a 10-inch display capable of high-definition video calling over WiFi and cellular data. The same year, Purple VRS launched the Purple VRS app for iOS and Android, allowing users to call VRS from their smartphones and tablets. Convo Communications, a newer player in the market, introduced the Convo Videophone, a high-end videophone with advanced features such as voice recognition and sign language recognition. The VRS industry also saw changes in the way services were reimbursed by the government.

In 2013, the FCC adopted a new methodology for reimbursing VRS providers, moving away from the per-minute model to a tiered system based on the number of minutes used per month by each user. This change aimed to reduce the financial incentives for fraud and improve the quality of service provided to users. In recent years, the VRS market has continued to evolve, with new players entering the market and existing providers innovating to stay ahead. With the advent of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G networks, the VRS industry is poised for further growth and development in the future.