| (1) |
Universal Design in Products and Services: |
An ECS licensee must ensure that all electronic communications devices ready for purchase adhere to the principles of Universal Design to cater for the needs of persons with Disabilities. For the purpose of these Regulations electronic communications devices shall refer to handheld mobile telephones and fixed line telephones.
| (2) |
Hearing Aid Compatibility Requirements for Fixed Line Telephone Handsets: |
An ECS licensee must ensure that all its fixed line telephones handsets being offered to the public have hearing aid compatibilities. The features may include the following:
| (a) |
a standard rental telephone handset which includes one-touch dial memory, a lightweight handset and a built-in hearing aid coupler; |
| (b) |
a telephone handset which amplifies the incoming caller’s voice to suit the listener; |
| (c) |
a telephone handset which amplifies the speaker’s voice, allowing the speaker to adjust the speech level to suit the listener; |
| (d) |
a hands-free telephone for a person who cannot hold a telephone handset; |
| (e) |
an ancillary telecommunications product which has adjustable volume, tone and pitch controls to assist the user to hear the telephone ringing; |
| (f) |
an ancillary telecommunications product which allows the connection of a second piece of equipment (e.g. a visual signal alert) in parallel with the existing telephone handset; |
| (g) |
an ancillary telecommunications product in which the telephone handset is cradled, providing hands-free operation; or |
| (h) |
a telephone adapting device which allows a person with cochlear implant to have access to the standard telephone service. |
| (3) |
Visual Aid Compatibility Requirements for Mobile and Fixed Line Telephone Handsets: |
An ECS licensee must ensure that all its mobile and fixed line telephone handsets being offered to the public have visual aid compatibility. Some of the features may include the following:
| (a) |
Customized Displays - An ECS licensee must make provision for wireless device screens with better contrast, illumination, larger font size and magnifying functionalities; |
| (b) |
Alternate formats – An ECS licensee must make provision for product information and billing in alternate formats (Braille, large print, electronic (plain text or HTML, audio format etc.) upon request, and ensure that this information is easily accessible on the operators’ website and physical stores; |
| (c) |
Braille – An ECS licensee must make provision for phones that have builtin, or that make use of applications that have the capability of connecting wirelessly. When set up, it must support navigation and text input from a Braille keyboard; |
| (d) |
Screen Reader – An ECS licensee must make provision for a screen access application that provides individuals, who are blind or visually impaired, with the ability to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer; |
| (e) |
Voice Recognition – ECS licensees must provide options for consumers to interact with their phone, using their voice, or voice recognition; |
| (f) |
Automatic Responses - ECS licensees must provide a program on wireless devices to answer automatically or redial certain calls or messages; Hands-free or One-Touch - ECS licensees must provide a hands-free device with a speakerphone or assign certain functions to one button for dialling or other pre-programmed functions. |
Financial Management of Parliament Act, 2009
