The major implementation issues were dealt with in 1991 and 1992. Since that time,
the Telecommunications Access System has been continuing to meet telecommunications
needs of the population of Florida. The table below identifies the major steps in
development of the Telecommunications Access System.
|
Date |
Event |
|
April 24, 1991 |
TASA passed legislature |
|
May 1, 1991 |
First Advisory Committee members named. |
|
May 24, 1991 |
TASA became law. |
|
June 13, 1991 |
Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (TASA Administrator) incorporated as a nonprofit
association. |
|
July 1, 1991 |
TASA surcharge set at $.05 per access line per month. |
|
September 1, 1991 |
Responsibility for distribution of specialized telecommunications equipment transferred
from Florida Council for the Hearing Impaired to Florida Telecommunications Relay,
Inc. |
|
September 16, 1991 |
First specialized telecommunications equipment distributed by FTRI. |
|
August 15, 1991 |
Relay RFP issued for relay service beginning June 1, 1992. |
|
January 17, 1992 |
Contract signed with MCI to provide Florida Relay Service. |
|
June 1, 1992 |
Florida Relay Service formally begins processing relay calls out of the Miami relay
center. |
|
July 1, 1992 |
TASA surcharge increased from $.05 to $.10 per access line per month. |
|
September 15, 1992 |
FPSC request for certification of Florida Relay Service sent to FCC. |
|
July 8, 1993 |
FCC letter certifying the Florida Relay System as being in compliance with the FCC
rules implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act. Certification is in effect
from July 26, 1993 through July 25, 1998. |
|
March 31, 1994 |
Final report of Deaf Service Center Association on results of pilot project on Special
Needs. |
|
August 4, 1994 |
Contract amendment with MCI to extend relay service contract for fourth year from
June 1, 1995 to May 31, 1996. |
|
November 1, 1994 |
TASA surcharge increased from $.10 to $.12 per access line per month. |
|
July 1, 1995 |
TASA surcharge decreased from $.12 to $.10 per access line per month. |
|
July 18, 1995 |
Contract amendment with MCI to extend relay service contract for fifth year from
June 1, 1996 to May 31, 1997 |
|
July 1, 1996 |
TASA surcharge increased from $.10 to $.12 per access line per month. |
|
August 14, 1996 |
Relay RFP issued for relay service beginning June 1, 1997. |
|
April 8, 1997 |
Contract signed with MCI to provide Florida Relay Service for three years. (June
1, 1997 - May 30, 2000) |
|
May 6, 1997 |
MCI offers a third 800 telephone number for ASCII users. |
|
September 4, 1997 |
The FPSC, on behalf of the State of Florida, submitted an application for renewal
of the certification of the Florida Relay Service by the FCC. |
|
July 1, 1998 |
TASA surcharge decreased from $.12 to $.11 per access line per month. |
|
July 1, 1998 |
The FPSC submitted its comments to the FCC on several relay issues in CC Docket
No. 98-67, Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech to Speech Services for Individuals
with Hearing and Speech Disabilities. |
|
July 1, 1999 |
TASA surcharge decreased from $.11 to $.09 per access line per month. |
|
October 7, 1999 |
Relay RFP issued for relay service beginning June 1, 2000. |
|
January 11, 2000 |
Sprint selected as Florida's relay provider. |
|
March 30, 2000 |
MCI assessed liquidated damage for service quality. |
|
June 1, 2000 |
Sprint became Florida's Relay provider. |
|
July 1, 2000 |
TASA surcharge decreased from $.09 to $.08 per access line per month. |
|
August 2, 2000 |
MCI assessed additional liquidated damages. |
|
November 7, 2000 |
The Commission voted to amend the contract with Sprint to incorporate changes mandated
by the FCC beginning December 18, 2000. |
|
November 7, 2000 |
The Commission voted to add Turbo Code as a service offered by Sprint. |
|
May 15, 2001 |
The Commission voted to add Caller ID as a service offered by Sprint. |
|
June 2001 |
The Commission received an award from the Florida Association for the Deaf for its
service to promote relay advancements for Florida deaf citizens. |
|
July 1, 2001 |
TASA surcharge increased from $.08 to $.12 per access line per month |
|
August 1, 2001 |
711 used to access relay service in Florida. |
|
May 21, 2002 |
The Commission voted to extend the Sprint contract for relay services until May
31, 2005. |
|
July 1, 2002 |
TASA surcharge decreased from $.12 to $.08 per access line per month. |
|
October 1, 2002 |
Applied to the FCC for recertification. |
|
May 19, 2003 |
FCC Recertification application approved through July 1, 2008 |
|
July 1, 2003 |
TASA surcharge increased from $.08 to $.12 per access line per month |
|
March 1, 2004 |
TASA surcharge increased from $.12 to $.13. The Commission voted to include Captel
as a service. |
|
July 1, 2004 |
TASA surcharge increased from $.13 to $.15 per access line per month. |
|
September 21, 2004 |
Request for Proposals Released for relay service beginning June 1, 2005. |
|
January 4, 2005 |
The Commission approved staff's recommendation to award the relay service contract
to Sprint-Florida, Inc. for a three-year period beginning on June 1, 2005 and ending
May 31, 2008.
|
|
June 16, 2005
|
FTRI 2005-2006 budget approved. TASA surcharge maintained at $0.15 per access line
per month.
|
|
October 13, 2005
|
Liquidated Damages assessed against Sprint for failure to meet typing speed requirements
of 60 wpm on live relay calls.
|
|
February 7, 2006
|
Contract amended to reflect new FCC answer time requirements.
|
|
June 26, 2006
|
FTRI 2006-2007 budget approved. TASA surcharge maintained at $0.15 per access line
per month.
|
|
November 21, 2006
|
Contract amended to eliminate requirement that CA shall not inform the telephone
user that the TDD user is hearing or speech disabled unless the TDD user asks the
CA to do so.
|
|
June 25, 2007
|
FTRI 2007-2008 budget approved. TASA surcharge reduced from $0.15 to $0.11 per access
line per month.
|