Purple Repaying Telecom Relay Fund

Purple Communications, a provider of telecommunications relay services, has signed an agreement with the FCC that puts in place the framework for repayment of funds that were inappropriately paid to the company.

Under this agreement, Purple "acknowledges that the FCC [has stated that Purple has] a debt amounting to $18,459,064, and has determined not to challenge the FCC's position." Under the agreement, the funds will be repaid to the National Exchange Carriers Association (NECA), which administers the government fund that pays for relay services for deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers. In return for this commitment, the FCC will instruct NECA to release payment to Purple for relay services provided in the month of December 2009, and will continue to reimburse for legitimate relay services provided by Purple month by month. This action follows a Declaratory Ruling, issued by the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the FCC on February 25, that reaffirms the FCC's rules regarding which calls can be compensated from the government relay fund. Relay services allow people with hearing disabilities to communicate with hearing people. In video relay service (VRS), this is done through an interpreter who can translate speech into American Sign Language and vice versa.