Section 756.110  Publicity Concerning Relay Service

a)         Telecommunications carriers or ITAC, on their behalf, shall publicize the relay service to increase awareness of the availability and use of all forms of TRS offered in Illinois.  Efforts to educate the public about TRS should extend to all segments of the public, including individuals who are hard of hearing or speech disabled and senior citizens, as well as members of the general population.  Publicity shall include, at a minimum:  

1)         Annual bill inserts and notices published in the directories;

2)         Placement of TRS instructions in telephone directories, through directory assistance services, and incorporation of TTY numbers in telephone directories;

3)         Notification, at least annually, to conventional news media such as daily, weekly, or monthly newspapers or magazines, television or radio stations, electronic media, or other cost-effective means of communication;

4)         Written notification, at least annually, to organizations and to newsletters serving individuals with disabilities.  Organizations and newsletters wishing to receive such notification must contact the telecommunications carriers through ITAC  and place themselves on a relay service information service list;

5)         Written notification to designated offices of the social service agencies, as provided in 83 Ill. Adm. Code 755.110(b)(3); and  

6)         Ongoing education and outreach programs that publicize the availability of 7-1-1 access to TRS in a manner reasonably designed to reach the largest number of consumers possible.

b)         Relay service information publicized by the telecommunciations carriers or ITAC, on their behalf, shall include the items listed in this subsection.  Each publication shall include all items whenever feasible and consistent with the purpose of the publicity.

1)         Relay service access numbers;

2)         A description of the relay service functions offered, which shall include, at a minimum, those prescribed in Section 756.100;

3)         Statements of the full time availability of relay service; and

4)         Statements advising that for the quickest response, TTY users should directly contact their local 9-1-1 service in emergency situations, or appropriate local emergency agencies in areas where 9-1-1 is not in service, instead of employing the relay service to complete emergency calls, and explaining the process defined in Section 756.205(e).

(Source:  Amended at 28 Ill. Reg. 6974, effective May 1, 2004)