FCC Seeks Comment on Proposal to Delete TRS ASCII Compatibility Requirement

August 28, 2025
Source: Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Comments Due: September 26, 2025

Reply Comments Due: October 14, 2025

At the Commission’s June 26, 2025, Open Meeting, the FCC approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to delete the requirement that TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) be compatible with the ASCII standard.  ASCII is an obsolete technology with almost no current TTY users, and no current manufacturers of TTY devices support the ASCII format. In November 2024, the Commission waived the ASCII compatibility requirement for two years, or until the completion of this proceeding, whichever is earlier.

On August 27, 2025, the NPRM was published in the Federal Register, establishing the dates for submitting comments and reply comments in response to the NPRM. The same day, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau published a Public Notice announcing those dates. The FCC seeks comment on the proposed deletion of the ASCII requirement, including comments related to who currently uses ASCII-format devices, and what alternatives would be available to them if the compatibility requirement is deleted.

Interested parties may file comments by accessing the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings. All filings must reference CG Docket No. 03-123. People with disabilities who need assistance to file comments online may request assistance by email to FCC504@fcc.gov.

Link to Public Notice:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/comment-dates-deletion-trs-ascii-compatibility-requirement

Link to the NPRM:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-takes-first-step-address-rules-obsolete-format-tty-0

For general information about TTY relay services, visit https://www.fcc.gov/tty-relay. For specific questions about this item, please contact Ike Ofobike at (202) 418-1028, or by e-mail at Ike.Ofobike@fcc.gov. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432‐2275.