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Press Release:
Monday, March 5, 2007
For further information, contact:
Jenifer Simpson, 202-457-0046, ext. 24

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) today stated its interest in seeing broadband services, including competitive cable television service, made uniformly available nationwide as quickly as possible.

“We believe there will be more widespread broadband services as a result of the FCC’s steps taken recently,” said Jenifer Simpson, senior director of telecommunications and technology policy for AAPD. “Greater availability of broadband service will expand opportunities for persons with disabilities such as people who are sign language users who rely on Video Relay Service, and for persons with disabilities seeking to move off welfare programs and into entrepreneurship activities.”

AAPD believes the FCC’s guidelines will lead to new cable franchise applications and speed cable competition. With that, all Americans, including those with disabilities, may soon enjoy the ability to choose the cable TV company with the technology that best meets their needs and offers them the best value for their money.

“While accessibility and usability are critical for persons with disabilities, affordability is very important too,” adds Simpson. “Lack of choice in cable providers often results in programming limitations, slow or non-existent technology upgrades, high prices and poor customer service,” Simpson said. “Unreasonable local requirements for cable franchises are a disservice to all American consumers, and particularly aggravating to Americans with disabilities who are often under-employed or unemployed and who want the benefits of broadband services that more cable providers can bring.”

AAPD believes that all Americans, including Americans with disabilities, should be able to participate in and benefit from services that are based on Internet Protocol used on broadband networks. AAPD supports efforts to make accessibility and usability of technologies using Internet Protocol available to persons with disabilities so that integration into all aspects of life is made more possible.

Founded in 1995 to give people with disabilities more consumer power and a stronger public voice, AAPD is the country’s largest cross-disability membership organization. For more information, visit www.aapd.com.