Financial Management of Parliament Act, 2009
R 385
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act, 2000 (Act No. 13 of 2000)RegulationsAnnexuresCode for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, 2021 : Effective October 2022Annexure A : National Relay System Specifications Applicable to Video |
| 1. | Technical Provision |
| 1.1. | Technical Provision |
| 1.1.1 | A Video Relay Service (VRS) allows hearing impaired and deaf people to use video technology to communicate in a manner similar to a traditional telephone call via a South African Sign Language interpreter (SASLi.) |
| 1.1.2 | VRS is a video interpreting service providing instant communication, on demand, between a South African Sign Language (SASL) user and a third party whereby the parties are in different locations (not co-located). For example, SASL user with webcam, videophone, mobile or tablet etc makes a video call and then signs to SASL Interpreter. A SASLi then speaks (via phone) to the hearing person. The hearing person replies (speaks) to the SASLi and the Sign Language Interpreter then translates (signs) the response to the deaf person (who can see the interpreter on their computer, TV or video screen). This process takes place simultaneously. |
| 1.2. | Type of Service Provision |
The VRS service provision must be an open eco system solution (interoperable) that enables access via:
| (a) | PC software; |
| (b) | Tablet software; |
| (c) | Smart phone software applications; |
| (d) | Television interface; or |
| (e) | Videophone. |
| 1.3. | Handling Multiple Calls |
The NRS platform must consist of a series of technology applications that are made up of:
| (a) | an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) for communication with national infrastructure; |
| (b) | a universal connectivity platform for cataloguing; |
| (c) | monitoring and billing, a mobile and desktop application for user accessibility; |
| (d) | a set of accessibility services that connect the platform to the user applications; and |
| (e) | human capital for interpreting. |
| 1.4. | Call Routing |
Call routing must be possible through the use of a common number outbound and through the use of subscriber personalised (telephony and IP) number or through a standard telephone number, inbound.
| 1.5. | Service Allocation |
The end user must be able to access all VRS services.
| 1.6. | Emergency Calls |
| 1.6.1 | Emergency calls must be prioritised. Location and mapping detail are also required where available (access to subscriber information). Real time text will be required in order to provide an alternative method of communication. |
| 1.6.2 | The key functional requirements for placing emergency calls are1: |
| (a) | accurate and fast routing of the relay to the appropriate emergency call centre: |
the call centre that the relay service connects to must be the call centre that would have been reached if a non-PWD had made the emergency call in a similar situation. Furthermore, the emergency call centre must receive the call through their normal incoming emergency call phone lines in the same way that a voice emergency call is received from a non-PWD. If CA availability is limited,
emergency calls should be prioritised (i.e. emergency callers can jump the queue
of calls waiting for the next available CA to take a call);
| (b) | accurate conveyance of all supporting information: information on the phone line and the location as it pertains to the PWD, not to the relay centre must be delivered. To the extent that an emergency call centre has access to such information from a non-PWD caller, the same information must be conveyed about a PWD who connects to the emergency services through a relay service; |
| (c) | accurate communication: emergency calls place unusual stress on CAs, especially CAs working with video who may be exposed to graphic images. CAs who handle emergency calls must be trained for these situations and equipped with resources to handle the stress. Additionally, if an emergency call centre is able to accept the preferred medium and MoC of a PWD directly without relay centre involvement, PWD callers should be given the ability to connect directly to the emergency call centre and conversing with emergency call takers directly. |
| 1.7. | Management |
The service provider must at all times monitor the platform, interfaces and gateways that allow protocol communication and this information must be made available on request. The service providers must ensure that the delivery of all updates to the system, from the Call centre applications to the end user applications are managed in a structured manner and remain available to the end user.
| 1.8. | Infrastructure Requirements & Recommendations |
| 1.8.1 | Basic characteristics |
| (a) | Sign language uses the movements and positions of the hands, eyes, mouth, face and body. |
| (b) | Lip-reading supported by voice can be used together with sign language. |
| (c) | Lip-reading can play an essential part of Sign Language communication and therefore is benefitted by VRS. |
| (d) | In video-coding terms, the scene with one signer may be regarded as containing a medium to high motion content. |
| (e) | Sign language requires good visual reproduction of movements. For the application of sign language transmission in a person-to-person conversation at low bit rates (based on the use of dated equipment or network access at the user end), the following basic minimum performance goals must apply: |
| i. | 25-30 frames per second at CIF resolution and a max. 0.4s delay, accepting occasional blur less than that corresponding to QCIF during medium motion. |
| ii. | synchronism better than 100 ms. |
| iii. | End-to-end delay (latency) must be below 0.4 s. |
| 1.8.2 | Broadband Access |
Broadband access requirements will be defined by the service provider based on the end user device, (mobile, pc, tablet) the type (fixed or mobile) and capability of network infrastructure (e.g. DSL, Ethernet, 3G, 4G) used as well as the quality of service offered.
| 1.9. | Service Initiation and Operation |
All VRS systems must be simple to operate from the Call centre application to the End user application. It must be easy to load with adequate loading instructions and simple to configure. It must be self-loading with minimum user intervention.
| 1.10. | Call Handover |
During peak busy hours priority calls (e.g. emergency calls) may need to be transferable between providers, provision must be made in this regard.
| 1.11. | Call Back Provision |
Caller’s numbers or ID’s must be temporarily stored to enable call back provision where required. There must be clear policies and procedures in place as to when and how this will be done, reflecting the needs of Data Protection. The user may not be charged extra for this service, neither connection fees nor for additional minutes accrued as a result of re-establishing the call. The caller information must be removed within a designated timeframe or at a pre-determined stage of a process (e.g. at end of call). The ability for the Central Point to contact the hearing impaired and deaf end user with important messages must exist. Notification is required to end user that a video or text mail message is waiting for them (for example by Text or email).
| 1.12. | Accessibility & Caller Validation |
Subscribers to VRS must have their own standard telephone numbers, which must be associated with an IP address. This must allow anyone to contact the subscriber from any device. Users would simply have to dial the phone number of the person they want to call (11 or more digits depending on where they are calling from). The call would be routed to the platform, then, depending on the phone number called and the parameters of the user’s account, the platform would determine whether the call requires the services of an interpreter. Geographic location details must be made available (where provided) for mobile calls (specifically emergency calls). The end-user will be charged for VRS calls with IP addresses located outside South Africa.
| 1.13. | Confidentiality |
| 1.13.1 | Confidentiality provision must be available through the use of VPN (increased bandwidth requirements) or through the use of an agreed standard encryption. This must only be between Central Points if required as it adds another level of complexity for the end user. |
| 1.13.2 | Service confidentiality and security2 is required to achieve functional equivalency, confidentiality and security associated with the relay services are one of the subjects. |
| 1.13.3 | Privacy, confidentiality and security shall be maintained to achieve functional equivalency. Privacy, confidentiality and security considerations extend both to technologies used by relay services and the human CAs. |
| 1.13.4 | Relay services shall be able to provide encrypted calls if the mainstream telephone services of the country in which the relay service is located provides encrypted calls. More generally, requirements for confidentiality and call security should mirror those of the mainstream telecommunications services of the country in . |
| 1.14. | Standards |
Services provision must conform to the relevant International Telecommunication Union communication protocols and specifications where available. Conformance to standards must be confirmed by the service providers in an auditable manner.
| 1.15. | User Applications |
User Applications consists of mobile applications for smartphones and a web-based interface for desktop computers. In addition to telephone numbers, the ability to use web-based links for direct service opportunities must be included in the VRS. This will provide a tremendous amount of accessibility for the end-user.
| 1.16. | Interpreting Services |
The core of the NRS are the interpreters. The service provider must set up a call centre and provide a sign language interpreter to enable the service.
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1 Rec. ITU-T F.930 (03/2018)
2 Rec. ITU-T F.930 (03/2018)
