The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a proposal to modernize Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), intending to align these accessibility services with the current Internet Protocol (IP) based communications landscape.
Adopted on November 20, 2025, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) looks to transition users from declining analog services to more advanced, Internet-based alternatives, while also ensuring the continued effectiveness and sustainability of TRS for Americans with hearing and speech disabilities.
With availability mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), these services facilitate telephone calls for hundreds of thousands of Americans, and were designed to provide a "functionally equivalent" communication experience to voice services.
The Decline of Analog
The FCC's proposal is largely driven by a steep decline in the use of traditional, analog-based relay services, most notably the teletypewriter (TTY) relay service. According to the FCC, interstate TTY relay minutes dropped by 79% between 2002 and 2010. The trend has continued, with projected interstate TTY relay minutes for the 2025-26 fund year at about 658,000, compared to more than 3 million minutes projected in 2013-14. Other analog services, like Captioned Telephone Service (CTS), have seen a similar decline.
"A lot has changed over the last thirty-five years," said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in a statement. "Accessible technology looks very different today, and older technologies like the teletypewriter or TTY have seen a steep decline in use due to the availability of newer, accessible technologies that operate on modern, IP-based networks."
The Modernization Plan
The proposed approach to modernizing TRS includes the termination of the mandatory status of TTY-based relay service for state TRS programs. Instead, the FCC wants to facilitate a smooth transition for users to Internet-based alternatives like IP Relay and Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Services (IP CTS).
The proposal also explores other avenues for modernization, including:
- Certifying a national analog relay provider to ensure continued access for the small number of users who may still rely on these services.
- Improving compatibility with real-time text (RTT), a modern, versatile text-based communication technology.
- Streamlining the TRS provider certification process and eliminating outdated or unnecessary regulations.
Commissioner Olivia Trusty, in her statement, emphasized that the aim is to enhance the user experience. "The goal is not merely to maintain the capabilities of analog forms of TRS," she said, "but enable users of those services to benefit from the improved capabilities unlocked by advanced communications networks."
The Role of Advocacy
The FCC's proposal was influenced by a White Paper highlighting the urgency of adapting TRS submitted in August 2024 by a group of accessibility advocates, including the National Association for State Relay Administration (NASRA), Gallaudet University, and TDIforAccess (TDI).
Commissioner Trusty acknowledged the coalition's contribution, thanking them for "calling attention to these issues."
What's Next
The FCC is now seeking public comment on its proposals. The comment period will be open for 30 days after the NPRM is published in the Federal Register, with a reply comment period extending for another 30 days. The Commission will then review the comments and decide on the final rules.
