Definitions.

(a) The term accessible shall have the meaning provided in § 14.21(b). (b) The term achievable shall mean with reasonable effort or expense, as determined by the Commission. In making such a determination, the Commission shall consider: (1) The nature and cost of the steps needed to meet the requirements of section 716 of the Act and this part with respect to the specific equipment or service in question; (2) The technical and economic impact on the operation of the manufacturer or provider and on the operation of the specific equipment or service in question, including on the development and deployment of new communications technologies; (3) The type of operations of the manufacturer or provider; and (4) The extent to which the service provider or manufacturer in question offers accessible services or equipment containing varying degrees of functionality and features, and offered at differing price points. (c) The term advanced communications services means: (1) Interconnected VoIP service, as that term is defined in paragraph (l) of this section; (2) Non-interconnected VoIP service, as that term is defined in paragraph (q) of this section; (3) Electronic messaging service, as that term is defined in paragraph (i) of this section; (4) Interoperable video conferencing service, as that term is defined in paragraph (m) of this section; and (5) Any audio or video communications services used by inmates for the purposes of communicating with individuals outside the correctional institution where the inmate is held, regardless of technology used. (d) The term application shall mean software designed to perform or to help the user perform a specific task or specific tasks, such as communicating by voice, electronic text messaging, or video conferencing. (e) The term compatible shall have the meaning provided in § 14.21(d). (f) The term customer premises equipment shall mean equipment employed on the premises of a person (other than a carrier) to originate, route, or terminate telecommunications. (g) The term customized equipment or services shall mean equipment and services that are produced or provided to meet unique specifications requested by a business or enterprise customer and not otherwise available to the general public, including public safety networks and devices. (h) The term disability shall mean a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment. (i) The term electronic messaging service means a service that provides real-time or near real-time non-voice messages in text form between individuals over communications networks. (j) The term end user equipment shall mean equipment designed for consumer use. Such equipment may include both hardware and software components. (k) The term hardware shall mean a tangible communications device, equipment, or physical component of communications technology, including peripheral devices, such as a smart phone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a screen, a keyboard, a speaker, or an amplifier. (l) The term interconnected VoIP service shall have the same meaning as in § 9.3 of this chapter, as such section may be amended from time to time. (m) An interoperable video conferencing service means a service that provides real-time video communications, including audio, to enable users to share information of the user's choosing. (n) The term manufacturer shall mean an entity that makes or produces a product, including equipment used for advanced communications services, including end user equipment, network equipment, and software. (o) The term network equipment shall mean equipment facilitating the use of a network, including, routers, network interface cards, networking cables, modems, and other related hardware. Such equipment may include both hardware and software components. (p) The term nominal cost in regard to accessibility and usability solutions shall mean small enough so as to generally not be a factor in the consumer's decision to acquire a product or service that the consumer otherwise desires. (q) A non-interconnected VoIP service is a service that: (1) Enables real-time voice communications that originate from or terminate to the user's location using Internet protocol or any successor protocol; and (2) Requires Internet protocol compatible customer premises equipment; and (3) Does not include any service that is an interconnected VoIP service. (r) The term peripheral devices shall mean devices employed in connection with equipment, including software, covered by this part to translate, enhance, or otherwise transform advanced communications services into a form accessible to individuals with disabilities. (s) The term service provider shall mean a provider of advanced communications services that are offered in or affecting interstate commerce, including a provider of applications and services that can be used for advanced communications services and that can be accessed ( i.e., downloaded or run) by users over any service provider network. (t) The term software shall mean programs, procedures, rules, and related data and documentation that direct the use and operation of a computer or related device and instruct it to perform a given task or function. (u) The term specialized customer premises equipment shall mean customer premise equipment which is commonly used by individuals with disabilities to achieve access. (v) The term usable shall have the meaning provided in § 14.21(c). (w) The term real-time text shall have the meaning set forth in § 67.1 of this chapter. (x) The term text-capable end user device means end user equipment that is able to send, receive, and display text. [76 FR 82389, Dec. 30, 2011, as amended at 82 FR 7707, Jan. 23, 2017; 89 FR 77360, Sept. 20, 2024]