20060524_1566.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM
TO:CO MMISSI 0 NER KJELLAND ER
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSIONER HANSEN
COMMISSION SECRETARY
LEGAL
WORKING FILE
FROM:DON HOWELL
GRACE SEAMAN
DATE:MAY 22, 2006
RE:TRS CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH HAMILTON
TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INc. TO ADD CAPTELTM SERVICE.
BACKGROUND
On November 22 2005 , the Commission issued Order No. 29915 approving the
Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Administrator s contract with Hamilton
Telecommunications, Inc. (Hamilton) for provision of relay services within the State ofldaho
pursuant to Idaho Code 61-1303(I)(b)(vi). In March 2006, the Commission requested the TRS
Administrator coordinate a CapTeFM demonstration with Hamilton for informational purposes.
Following the demonstration, the TRS Administrator was encouraged by the Commission to
pursue the inclusion ofCapTeFM Service to the Idaho TRS. The use ofCapTeFM phones and
this service will provide the user with audio and textual relay services. On May 22, 2006
pursuant to paragraph 3.3 of the TRS Agreement, the TRS Administrator, Bob Dunbar, entered
into a TRS contract amendment to include CapTeFM Service.
STAFF REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF THE AMENDMENT
The amendment will become effective June 1 2006, and CapTeFM Service will be
provided to an initial 100 one-time-only end users in Idaho. Beginning on July 1 , 2006 up to 25
users may be added per month. The new CapTeFM users may be as few as zero and up to 25 per
month. If less than the allotted 25 users are added in a calendar month, the unused allotment
cannot be carried over to the next month. Hamilton will provide CapTeFM Service at the rate of
$1.44 per minute based on session minutes. CapTeFM session minutes includes call setup and
DECISION MEMORANDUM - 1 -MAY 22, 2006
wrap-up and two-line CapTelTM service. The TRS Administrator believes the current TRS
budget will provide adequate funding to accommodate the inclusion of CapTeFM Service. This
per minute pricing will be effective through May 31 2008. CapTeFM service price increases for
the next 18 months (June 1 , 2006-November 30 2009) will be limited to 5% or the increase in
the US. Consumer Price Index (CPr), whichever is greater.
Hamilton has arranged, for a limited time only, to allow end users to purchase CapTelTM
phones for a discounted price of$99.00. Availability and calling access ofCapTeFM Service
will be the same as traditional TRS.
Staffhas reviewed the TRS contract amendment and believes it to be reasonable and in
the public interest. Staff therefore, recommends approval.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to include the CapTelTM Service amendment to Hamilton
TRS contract?
AsO-~
Grace Seaman
Attachment/Amendment
i :udmemos/trsamend
DECISION MEMORANDUM - 2 -MAY 22 , 2006
OS/22/06 MaN 13: 58 FAX [phone] BOB DUNBAR 141 004
First Contract Amendment
The Idaho Telephone Relay Service (Idaho TRS) and Hamilton Telephone Company
d/b/a Hamilton Telecommunications entered into an Agreement to provide
Telecommunications Relay Service dated November 1 ih, 2005 ("Agreement"). TheParties hereby agree to the following contract amendment pursuant to paragraph 3.3 of
the Agreement subject to the approval of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission:
1) Beginning June 1 2006, CapTelTM Service will be provided to an initial 100 EndUsers (one-time only) in Idaho and increase by up to 25 new users per month after the
initial 100. The Idaho TRS may add as few as zero new CapTelTM users per month up to25 users per month. If less than the allotted number of users are added in a particular
month, the unused allotment cannot be carried over to the next month. Hamilton is notresponsible for the distribution of CapTelTM equipment.
2) Hamilton will provide CapTelTM Service at the rate of $1.44 per minute based on
session minutes. Session minutes are calculated in minutes and seconds that aCommunication Assistant is connected to either the calling or called party. Session timeincludes call setup and wrap-up, but does not include any queue time. Hamilton
CapTelTM rate includes both one-line and two-line CapTelTM Service. This pricing will beeffective through May 31 , 2008. CapTelTM Service price increases for the next 1 1/2 years
of service (June 1, 2008 - November 30, 2009) would be limited to the greater of 5% or
the increase in the US Consumer Price Index (CPI).
3) Hamilton has arranged, for a limited time only, to make CapTelTM phonesavailable for just $99.00 (normally a retail value 0/$495). End users can make use of a90-day trial period, which guarantees that if end user is not entirely satisfied with the
CapTel phone, slhe can return the phone for a full refund. To obtain a CapTelTM phoneend users simply submit a completed order form to WCI (Weitbrecht Communications
Inc.). Hamilton will make order forms available via the Idaho TRS website and
Customer Service.
4) The following are the Terms and Conditions of Hamilton s provisioning of
CapTelTM Service to the Idaho IRS. Hamilton will subcontract for the service with
Captioned Telephone, Inc. herein referred to as "CTI"
(a)CapTelT~ Service will be available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365days per year.
End Users of the CapTeJrM Service will be able to place calls from within
Idaho to any point in the world and from all points outside Idaho to any
p~int within Idaho to the same extent that the access.is provided bytraditional TRS.
CapTeln.. users will have the ability to access their chosen carrier of choice
for intrastate or interstate interexchange carrier calls without regard to
what CapTelTM phone they may call from to the same extent that the access
is provided by traditional IRS.
(b)
(c)
OS/22/06 MaN 13: 57 FAX [phone]
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(1)
(m)
BOB DUNBAR 141003
(k)
CapTelTM relay users will have the ability to access standard operator
services equal to those typically offered to voice telephone users including
directory assistance services to the same extent that the access is provided
by traditional TRS.
Hamilton wil1 make available standard reports to the Idaho TRS
Administrator for CapTelTM Service.
CapTelTM will meet the P.OI standard for blockage.
CapTelTM Service will answer 85 percent of all caBs within 10 seconds
including abandons.
CapTelTM Service will be able to accurately detennine call jurisdiction
infonnation in order to ensure that CapTelTM users ' extended community
calling plans, optional calling plans and other special situations such as
limits on directory assistance calls where applicable are billed correctly to
the same extent provided by traditional relay service. (Note: for 2-line
CapTeJrM Service, incoming calls will not be required to meet this
requirement.)
CapTelTM Customer Service will be staffed from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Central Time, Monday through Friday. Hamilton will report all
complaints to the Idaho TRS Administrator monthly and if needed, on acase by case basis.
CapTelTM Service will be billed in session minutes.
CapTelTM relay users can utilize alternate billing arrangements; for
example, collect, third number, person to person, calling card, credit card,
and 900 number services.
CapTelTM Relay Service will be available in Spanish.
The CapTelTM Service will allow CapTelTM users to place all network call
types commonly supp0l1ed by TRS including: intrastate, interstate, toll
free, 91 t , and pay per call services.
Calls Not Supported by CTI include Coin-sent calls, all Non-English
language calls except Spanish, and any TRS call which is not a CapTelTM
call including, but not limited to, YCa, HCO, STS , VRS, 2-line VCO, and
TTY calls, or any other non- CapTeJrM call. The acronyms set forth in this
paragraph are spelled out and defined in Hamilton s Response to the
Request for Proposal referenced in the Agreement.
(n)
CapTeP'M Service CAs will adhere to the following minimum standards:
The CapTeJrM Communications Assistant (CA) shall be trained to caption
the words spoken by the hearing party as accurately as reasonably possible
without intervening in the communications. The CA is permitted to
provide background noise identification;
The CapTelTl..t CA shall not maintain any records of conversation content
and shall keep the existence and content of all calls confidential;
The CapTelTM CA shall be required to meet the FCC standards for TRS
minimum transcription speed;
U51 ZZ/UB MUN 13: 57 FAX [phone] BOB DUNBAR 141002
. 0
The CapTelTM CA shall not limit the length of a call and shall stay with the
call for a minimum often minutes when answering and placing a call;
The CapTelTM CA shall pass along a CapTelTM caller s ANI to theappropriate PSAP if the caller disconnects before being connected to
emergency services;
CapTelTM personnel will have the requisite experience, expertise, skillseducation, knowledge and training to perform CapTelTM Services in aprofessional manner.
All other terms and conditions of the Agreement between the parties shall remain in full
force and effect, except as specifically modified herein.
Done and agreed by the parties on the dates hereafter indicated.
Robert D. Dunbar
Idaho TRS Administrator
...
Joh Nelson, Vice President of Operations
Hamilton Telecommunications
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