Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 166 § 15E
Captioned telephone, an amplified telecommunications device with a text display that permits the user to both listen to what is said over the telephone and simultaneously read captions of what the other person is saying, thereby allowing a hard of hearing person to utilize captioned telephone service.
Captioned telephone service, an enhanced voice carry over telecommunications relay service, a system which uses third party intervention to connect persons with a hearing disability but with some residual hearing, to engage in communication, by wire or radio, with a hearing individual in a manner that is functionally equivalent to the ability of an individual, who does not have a hearing disability, to communicate using voice communication services, by wire or radio.
"Common carrier, as common carrier is used in chapters 159 and 166, and referring to a business in the commonwealth that is a provider of local exchange service, so-called, to 1,000 or more subscribers. For the purposes of this section, the term shall also include a municipal lighting plant or cooperative that operates a telecommunications system under section 47E of chapter 164.
Communication services, includes: (a) the transmission, conveyance, or routing of real-time, two-way voice communications to a point or between or among points by or through any electronic, radio, satellite, cable, optical, microwave, wireline, wireless, or other medium or method, regardless of the protocol used; (b) the ability to provide two-way voice communication on the public switched network; (c) wireless enhanced 911 service; (d) wireline enhanced 911 service; (e) interconnected VoIP provider service, as defined by Federal Communication Commission regulations; (f) IP-enabled service, as defined in section 18A of chapter 6A; or (g) prepaid wireless service.
Communication service provider, an entity that provides communication services to a subscriber or end user.
Deaf, a severe to profound hearing loss resulting in the majority of circumstances, in an inability to effectively use a conventional telephone without the assistance of a test telephone or other nonvoice terminal device.
Department, the state 911 department.
Disability, a physical, cognitive, sensory or mental impairment that substantially limits 1 or more major activities such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning or working, and results in an inability to use a telephone without the assistance of specialized telephone equipment.
FCC, the Federal Communications Commission.
Hard of hearing, a hearing loss resulting, in the majority of circumstances, in an inability to effectively use a telephone without the assistance of a sound amplification control or a telephone without the use of a hearing aid and a hearing aid compatible handset.
Hearing carry over or HCO, a form of telecommunications relay service, or TRS, with which a person with a speech disability is able to listen to the other end user and, in reply, a third party speaks the text as typed by the person with the speech disability and the third party does not type any conversation. Two-line HCO is an HCO service that allows TRS users to use 1 telephone line for hearing and the other for sending text telephone, or TTY, messages. HCO-to-TTY allows a relay conversation to take place between an HCO user and a TTY user. HCO-to-HCO allows a relay conversation to take place between 2 HCO users.
Public coin and coinless telephone, a telephone operated by coin or credit card and located in high use areas that return substantial revenue from the operation thereof including, but not limited to, police stations, hospitals, airports, bus terminals, train stations, libraries, social security, medicaid and medicare offices and shopping centers.
Semi-public coin and coinless telephone, a telephone operated by coin or credit card and located in low use areas that return moderate revenue from the operation thereof including, but not limited to, convalescent homes, elderly housing complexes and small meeting houses.
SCPE, specialized, customer-premises equipment, such as artificial larynxes, signaling devices, amplified handset, hands-free telephones, text telephones, memory telephones, direct telephone dialing device, braille text telephones, captioned telephone, and other devices which provide access to telephone networks for people with a hearing, speech, vision, mobility or cognitive disability.
SCPE distribution service, a system of administration and record keeping, as well as distribution, repair and replacement of SCPE units for certified subscribers.
Text telephone or TTY, a machine that employs graphic communication in the transmission of coded signals through a wire or radio communication system. TTY supersedes the term TDD or telecommunications device for the deaf.
Telecommunications relay service or TRS, a telephone transmission service that provides an individual with a hearing or speech disability the ability to engage in communication by wire or radio with a hearing individual in a manner that is functionally equivalent to the ability of an individual who does not have a hearing or speech disability to communicate using voice communication services by wire or radio. TRS includes services that enable two-way communication between an individual who uses a text telephone or other nonvoice terminal device and an individual who does not use such a device, speech-to-speech services, and non-English relay services. TRS supersedes the terms dual party relay system, message relay services, and TDD relay.
Voice carry over service, or VCO, a form of TRS with which a person with a hearing disability is able to speak directly to the other end user when a third party types the response back to the person with the hearing disability and the third party does not voice the conversation. Two-line VCO is a VCO service that allows TRS users to use 1 telephone line for voicing and the other for receiving TTY messages. A VCO-to-TTY TRS call allows a relay conversation to take place between a VCO user and a TTY user. VCO-to-VCO allows a relay conversation to take place between 2 VCO users.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 166, § 166:15E