I would maintain that having all phones accessible to all users is a
safety issue. The last thing you want is to have someone get to a
phone in an emergency only to find that phone is is accessible to
him. Of course the deaf deal wit this which is why we require tha
tall phone be able to work with hearing aids and be connectable to
modern TTY devices.
Greg
On Jan 15, 2007, at 10:37 , Josh de Lioncourt wrote:
Greg,
Of course the government has a role to play in certain, specific
matters. I had a whole paragraph in my last message about that.
*smile* In fact, I specificly addressed the safety issue. Here is
my original paragraph on the matter.
There are certain specific areas where the government needs to
regulate, such as
the use of hazardous materials to produce the item, or safety
issues, particularly
in products that may be used by children, and similar things. But
these are to
the good of the general public. There are countless products
produced all around
the world that can't be used by one disabled group or another. We
may not like
it, but that is how it is.
I think safety and use of the public airwaves definitely is covered
in that. I draw the line where you are mandating companies to cater
to a very small group of people in a product that is, really, a
luxury item.
I can turn this discussion back on you, and ask where you draw the
line. Public roads and highways are regulated by the government
too, should we prevent cars from this moment forward from being
sold unless blind people can drive them? Of course not. Even if the
technology was there to make cars that could navigate safely
without human control, I would be opposed to mandating that, all,
cars had to be made so.
Greg Kearney wrote:
Josh;
Surly you don't think that the government has no role to play
here. Otherwise we end up with all kinds of devices, in particular
cell phones and radio type devices interfering with each other.
You must agree that the FCC should have regulatory authority over
the use of the public airwaves don't you? How about insuring that
phones are always able to reach 911 as a safety matter? Or public
phones which would not be attachable to TTY? Or phone systems or
phones which could not reach a relay service for the deaf? How far
are you willing to take your logic?
I think it's wise to remember that phones are a public utility and
that cell phones use the public airways as a public trustee. They
give up certain rights that might exist in the open marketplace
when they use the publics airwaves. We give them the rights to use
that public space, tehe electromagnetic spectrum, only if they
meet certain legal requirements. Are you suggesting that companies
should have unfettered access to the public airways without
meeting any requirements, technical, safety of accessibility as a
public trustee of a public resource?
Greg Kearney
