“This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement”
On August 1, 2013, the Commission released a Public Notice requesting comment on a petition filed by the Coalition of E‐Reader Manufacturers. The Coalition requests that the Commission waive its rules requiring equipment used for advanced communications services (ACS) to be accessible by people with disabilities. The Coalition states that, although e‐readers are equipment that consumers can use for ACS, they are designed primarily for reading.
To distinguish e‐readers from tablets and other devices that would not be subject to the waiver request, the Coalition requests a waiver for e‐readers that have the following features:
(1) they have no LCD screen;
(2) they have no camera;
(3) they are not offered or shipped to consumers with built‐in ACS client applications and their manufacturers do
not develop ACS applications for their respective devices, though the devices may include a browser and social media applications; and
(4) they are marketed to consumers as reading devices and promotional material does not tout the capability to access ACS.
Comment Deadline: September 3, 2013
Reply Comment Deadline: September 13, 2013
Links to the Public Notice (including filing instructions):
(PDF) https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA‐13‐1686A1.pdf
(Word) https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA‐13‐1686A1.doc
(Text) https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA‐13‐1686A1.txt
Link to the Coalition Petition (May 15, 2013):
http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7022314526
Link to the Letter Supplementing the Coalition Petition (July 17,
2013): http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7520931307
For further information, please contact Eliot Greenwald at (202) 418‐2235 or Eliot.Greenwald@fcc.gov; or Rosaline
Crawford at (202) 418‐2075 or Rosaline.Crawford@fcc.gov.