Congress passed the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) of 2010 "to help ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to fully utilize communications services and equipment and better access video programming." To implement the CVAA, the FCC established new accessibility requirements for advanced communications and for Internet browsers built into mobile phones. The FCC also established new procedures for filing informal complaints about accessibility problems with the following:
- Telephone services and equipment;
- Advanced communications services and equipment; and
- Internet browsers built into mobile phones.
Please select the action you want to take:
Contact the Company
Choose this option if you want to contact the company to try and resolve your accessibility problem. The FCC can help you find contact information for the company’s accessibility customer care representative.
Request Dispute Assistance
Choose this option if you want the FCC Disability Rights Office to assist you to resolve your accessibility problem. You will be directed to information about how to request assistance from the Disability Rights Office.
- After you request assistance, the FCC Disability Rights Office will contact you to learn more about your accessibility problem.
- The Disability Rights Office must work with you and the company for at least 30 days to try to resolve your accessibility problem, before you can file an informal complaint with the FCC Enforcement Bureau.
- If your accessibility problem is not resolved in 30 days, you have two choices:
- You may request an additional 30 days for assistance to try to resolve your problem, or
- you may file an informal complaint with the FCC Enforcement Bureau.
- You must request an additional 30 days for assistance or file an informal complaint within 60 days after the 30-day time period ends. If you take no action within 60 days, your accessibility case will be closed.
Extend the Time for Assistance
Choose this option if you want the Disability Rights Office to work with you and the company for an additional 30 days to resolve your accessibility problem. Only choose this option if you have already requested dispute assistance from the FCC Disability Rights Office and you want assistance for more than 30 days.
- At the end of a 30-day extension, you must request an additional 30 days for assistance or file an informal complaint within 60 days. If you take no action within 60 days, your accessibility case will be closed.
File an Informal Complaint
Choose this option ONLY when:
- You have previously filed a Request for Dispute Assistance with the FCC Disability Rights Office about the accessibility problem that is the subject of your informal complaint;
- Thirty days have passed since you filed the Request for Dispute Assistance;
- Any 30-day extension of time for assistance has expired; and
- Your accessibility problem was not resolved.
You must file an informal complaint within 60 days after the first 30 days of assistance from the Disability Rights Office ends or after any 30-day extension of time ends. If you take no action within 60 days, your accessibility case will be closed.
More information is available in the following guide: File an Informal Accessibility Complaint.
If you need assistance, please contact the FCC Disability Rights Office at dro@fcc.gov or call 202-418-2517 (voice), or 1-844-432-2275 (videophone).