The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved new Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) fund contribution fee factors for the July 2024-June 2025 funding period. The fee factors detailed below will be applied to the revenue amounts reported by all Form 499 Filers in their 2024 FCC Form 499-A (reporting 2023 revenue amounts) to determine the contribution amounts soon to be invoiced by TRS Fund Administrator, Rolke Loube Associates. Below, we outline the key details of these new contribution factors.
Key Details:
- Contribution Factor for State TRS Programs
- The FCC has approved a contribution factor of 0.00024 for Telecommunications Relay Services provided through state programs. This factor will be applied to contributors’ interstate and international end-user revenues (as reported in their 2024 FCC Forms 499-A).
- This approval is part of the FCC’s ongoing effort to ensure adequate funding for traditional TRS, Speech-to-Speech (STS), and Captioned Telephone Service (CTS), as supported by state programs.
- Contribution Factor for Internet-Based TRS
- For internet-based TRS—including IP Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS), IP Relay, and Video Relay Service (VRS)—the FCC has approved a contribution factor of 0.01952. This factor will be applied to contributors’ intrastate, interstate, and international end-user revenues (as reported in their 2024 FCC Forms 499-A).
- The higher contribution factor for internet-based TRS reflects the increased costs and demand associated with these services.
Background and Impact
The FCC’s decision to set these contribution factors is based on projected demand for TRS services, administrative expenses, and the application of the projected surplus from the previous Fund year. The total net funding requirement for the 2024-2025 TRS Fund Year is set at $1,490,582,564.
For support of TRS provided through state programs, the contribution factor of 0.00024 ensures that there is sufficient funding to support the various relay services relied upon by individuals with hearing and speech disabilities. This factor applies to the revenue generated from interstate and international calls.
For internet-based TRS, the contribution factor of 0.01952 addresses the comprehensive support required for services such as IP CTS, IP Relay, and VRS. These services have seen increased usage and demand, necessitating a robust funding mechanism. This factor applies to the revenue generated from intrastate, interstate, and international calls.
Next Steps
We recommend that all telecommunications carriers and other covered service providers review their revenue reporting processes to ensure accurate calculation and remittance of TRS contributions based on the new factors. It is crucial to incorporate these changes into your financial planning and compliance strategies.
For further information or assistance in understanding these new TRS contribution factors, please do not hesitate to contact us.
