20220215TRS Administrators Annual Report 2021.pdf

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Administrator’s Annual Report
Idaho TRS Fund
January 1 – December 31, 2021
Revenues
Revenues collected in all of 2021 totaled $105,245 with $ 41,687 being received from local
exchange services and $64,418 was received from MTS/WATS services. The starting balance
was $ 180,933.83 as of 1/1/2021, and the final balance was $121,352.80 as of 12/31/2021. The
current rate is $.05 per local exchange line service and $0.001 for Message Telecommunication
Services (MTS) / Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS) services as of May 1, 2021.
2021 ITRS Revenue
Quarter
Local Exchange
Services % MTS/WATS % Total
1 $9,508 39 14,871 61 $24,378
2 $8,049 35 14,949 65 $22,998
3 $11,616 44.6 14,429 55.4 $26,046
4 $12,514 38.3 20,169 61.7 $32,683
Total $41,687 39.23 $64,418 60.77 100%
Call and Line Count
In 2021, providers and carriers reported the following to Idaho TRS:
89,110 monthly average local exchange lines (a 30% decrease in monthly line count from 2020)
or 1,069,321 total reported across the entire year.
65,058,266.417 long distance minutes (a 21 % decrease) reported throughout 2021.
RECEIVED
2022 FEB 15 AM 8:00
IDAHO PUBLIC
UTILITIES COMMISSION
Lines and Minutes Chart
Year Lines Change from
previous year
Minutes Change from
previous year
2021 89,110 30% decrease 65,058,266 21% decrease
2020 126,760 41% decrease 82,015,033 18% decrease
2019 215,423 15% decrease 100,128,800 20% decrease
2018 253,004 15% decrease 125,050,000 less than 1%
increase
2017 297,462 24% decrease 124,961,000 21% decrease
2016 391,132 3% increase 158,535,000 23% decrease
2015 377,860 1% decrease 205,405,200 17% increase
90 telecommunications companies filed $0 reports in 2021 on a monthly, quarterly, or annual
basis.
Attachment A – Zero Reporting
Disbursements - Hamilton Relay
Total disbursements to Hamilton Relay for the provision of all-encompassing
telecommunications relay services (TRS) for the year were $97,051.70 . TRS, CapTel Relay
Service (CTRS), and Speech to Speech (STS) Relay Service totaled $37,051.70 while Outreach
totaled $60,000.00 .
Attachment B – Hamilton Relay Disbursements
A total 1853 completed calls were placed throughout the year while 2021 saw decreases in
usage as the numbers were higher in 2020 due to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. TRS
decreased by about 24 %, CTRS decreased by about 40% and Advanced STS decreased by
80%.
Session Minutes
In 2021, 7,489.57 Session Minutes were reported for Captioned Telephone Relay Service,
15,081.03 Session Minutes for TRS, and 812 Session Minutes for Speech to Speech for 2021.
Average Speed of Answer
A key performance indicator for TRS and CapTel is typically the average speed of answer (ASA)
for a call to reach the relay switchboard and to be answered by a Communication Assistant, and
that was calculated as an average of 0.85 seconds for the entire year as opposed to 2019 which
was 0.41 seconds. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021, the FCC has
extended Hamilton’s waivers since March 16, 2020 which have been extended a couple of times
through the most recent of March 31, 2022 due to being unable to meet standards. The ongoing
pandemic also grants permission to Communication Assistants to be able to work from home.
Administrative Fees and Expenses
Administrative Fees and Expenses totaled $40,068 for 2021 for TRS Administrator Kathleen
Toohill consulting and reimbursement for payment of NASRA annual membership dues for
2021-2022.
Attachment C – Administrator Billing
Funds
Starting Balance January 1, 2021 - $180,933.83
Q1 Balance (3/31) Q2 Balance (6/30) Q3 Balance (9/30) Q4 Balance (12/31)
$145,735.07 $132,740.32 $122,374.94 $121,352.80
Recommendations and Overview
Idaho TRS is now entering year 3 of an amended 3 year contract which was mutually agreed
upon with Hamilton Relay and the Idaho PUC in 2019. Monies were allocated for Outreach
services as a result of that contract, in addition to the provision of TRS, CapTel, and
Speech-to-Speech Services. Idaho Relay also contracts to provide Advanced Speech to
Speech Services. 2020 and into early 2021 saw higher than average TRS and CapTel usage
however later in 2021 realized more typical usage. Budget needs for TRS and CapTel do not
appear to be as high as expected in 2021. A new Request for Proposal will soon be sent out for
bids for a new TRS contract as the current contract sunsets November 30, 2022.
2021 turned out to be a year of primarily continued virtual outreach events, however Idaho’s
Outreach Specialist has begun to schedule in-person outreach training and events in 2022.
Nationally the trend of other states are experiencing a drop in traditional relay service and
captioned telephone relay service because of migration to Internet Protocol (IP) Relay and
Video Relay Services.
Attachment D - TRS Budget Worksheet
LEC and MTS/WATS
From Order # 34988 dated May 1, 2021, the rates of contribution to ITRS were raised to $0.05
per line and $0.001 per long distance minute .
The following are options in 2022:
Option 1 – Continue the present rates of contribution to ITRS at $0.05 per line and $0.001 per
minute.
With the trend of recent years of diminishing inventory of landlines, 2022 Local Exchange Lines
can potentially be estimated to be 74,000 and that same year’s Long Distance Minutes can
potentially be estimated at 52,000,000. Revenue can be estimated with the current contributions
and current rates for ITRS to be approximately $92,146. With a 2022 budget estimate of
$142,350 and a 2021 year-end balance of $121,352.80 with the projected contributions, the end
of year balance for 2022 could conceivably fall around $73,775.
Option 2 – Continue with the current long distance per minute rate of $0.001 while raising the
per line rate to a range somewhere between $0.06 or $0.10 per line to try and level out the
contributions to closer to 50% of LEC lines and MTS/WATS. Raising the LEC rate to $0.07 or
$0.08 would balance the contributions and should allow a fund balance of at least
$85,000-$95,000.
(Note: rate change would occur almost halfway through the year which affects how much is
projected due to delay in reporting and payments. There is a lag in reporting month by
telecommunications companies monthly but especially when the companies report quarterly.)
With a long distance per minute rate (currently assessed at $0.001):
Option 3 – If both rates were raised, the contributions would be less balanced, however the
fund balance would end up higher. When the MTS/WATS rate is raised the payments seem to
fall on just a few companies, resulting in very high payments from just a few companies. If
further breakdown is desired, then I would be able to provide this in more detail.
For further breakdowns of local exchange lines/long distance minute splits, fund balance
projections, and revenue breakdowns, please see Attachment E - ITRS Projections .
The Administrator will continue to monitor all areas of relay with respect to meeting standards
for the FCC, NASRA, and Hamilton Relay while continuing to work closely with the Idaho Public
Utilities Commission.