It was July last year in fact when we launched our brief which explains what blind and vision impaired people need from the telecommunications industry. Now one year later, we attempted to promote the brief and a new brief on accessible websites by inviting telecommunications companies and other interested people to a forum which we hosted as part of this year’s Wellington Seminar. Now through this post I can explain the concerns we have about telecommunications and why it is so important. In my next post I will highlight our recently published brief on accessible websites.

It was July last year in fact when we launched our brief which explains what blind and vision impaired people need from the telecommunications industry. Now one year later, we attempted to promote the brief and a new brief on accessible websites by inviting telecommunications companies and other interested people to a forum which we hosted as part of this year’s Wellington Seminar. Now through this post I can explain the concerns we have about telecommunications and why it is so important. In my next post I will highlight our recently published brief on accessible websites.

As blind people, we are unable to communicate and access information visually and often we are restricted in our ability to get out and about. No wonder then that often the humble telephone is the first choice for many of us when it comes to maintaining social contact, accessing information and even carrying out everyday transactions such as banking and shopping. The modern development of the mobile phone is also having a profound impact on our approach to communication, provided of course we can get one that we can use.

Modern telecommunications services are changing the very fabric of how Society works. Texting for example has become a widely accepted means of communication. Schools, now text parents to advise if their child has not turned up, and hospitals and dentists send reminders of appointments by text. Increasingly people are encouraged to receive regular bills by email or read them on a website. Blind and deafblind people must be able to use today’s telecommunications services or we will be more and more shut out of everyday Society.

Good properly designed telecommunications services would make life better for everyone but they can be particularly liberating for people who are blind. Some disabilities such as deafblindness can severely restrict a person’s ability to access information and communicate with others, and for these people, good telecommunications services in today’s world can actually be life changing. But often the reality of our experience is more frustrating than liberating.

The telecommunications industry must ensure that the fundamental communications services we use are accessible to everyone, including blind people. There is a growing range of other services being developed that rely on the telecommunications infrastructure, everything from using an EFTPOS terminal in the supermarket, ordering groceries online, using the phone or TV in a hotel room, texting for a taxi, are all examples of such services. However telecommunications companies should recognise that it can make good business sense to directly meet our needs and see us as a genuine source of revenue. With a phone in our hand we can really use, Blind people are perhaps more likely than most to make calls, send texts and use other telecommunications services provided they are accessible.

New Zealand has strong legislation to protect the general rights of consumers and our specific rights regarding telecommunications services, but we lag behind many other countries that have adopted legislation to uphold the rights of people with disabilities to equitable access to telecommunications services. The brief goes into a lot more detail, but the essence of what we need is:

• Telecommunications services that are accessible to and easily used by blind people;
• Increased recognition in law to our right to accessible telecommunications;
• Standard land-line phones that are reliable, have a good clear sound and are easy to use;
• Mobile phones that are accessible and sold on similar terms and at a similar price to everyday phones that are taken for granted by sighted people;
• A commitment to ensuring all information is accessible, including bills, directory services, call plans and promotions;
• Websites that are accessible.

As I explained in my previous post, we were very disappointed that all but one of the major telecommunications companies we invited to our recent forum on telecommunications did not show. It shows the needs of people with disabilities are a low priority as far as the telcos are concerned. Clearly we have a lot of work to do. The point to remember though is that whilst today’s technology, being largely visual in how it operates, can pose major barriers to blind and vision impaired people, it is also true that today’s technology has far more potential to fully include us than ever before. Even though we are a very small population, we will continue to work to persuade the telecommunications industry to utilise today’s technology to meet our needs as blind and vision impaired people. That will make it better for everyone so we can all be part of tomorrow’s technology-based society.