----- Original Message -----
From: "Jamal Mazrui" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 4:41 PM
Subject: FYI: Some recent developments in telecom access


Although I work for the FCC, I have to be clear that I am just sharing
publicly available information with interested consumers in this message,
not endorsing products or statements mentioned herein.  Below is a current
article I received concerning accessibility of cell phones, followed by a
web page providing more detail on a new development in the industry.

Regards,
Jamal


Audiovox reaches settlement with blind customer,
Verizon still negotiating

by HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER
Dec. 18, 2003 1:35 PM EST

WASHINGTON?Audiovox Corp. and Dr. Bonnie O'Day have reached a settlement and
are asking the Federal Communications Commission to dismiss a complaint
filed by Dr. O'Day last February.

"I filed this complaint because blind and low-vision people were frustrated
with the pace of progress achieved by the wireless industry. Audiovox's
commitment in this settlement, however, makes them a leader in providing
wireless access to blind and visually impaired consumers," said O'Day.

"It is important to improve wireless access for the 10 million Americans who
have visual impairments," said Audiovox President Philip Christopher.

While Audiovox did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement, it did announce
that its new 9900 series phones to be released this month will have a "a
more accessible keypad and audible announcement of certain visually
displayed information, such as dialed and incoming phone numbers, battery
power and roaming status."

O'Day claimed in a Feb. 21 complaint she could not use her Audiovox phone
because many features, such as caller ID and one-touch dialing, were
delivered through visual display. What she said she needed, as a person who
cannot read a small-phone screen, are more audio prompts. She said she
purchased the Audiovox CDM-9500 as "the best of the worst."

Initially, O'Day filed an informal complaint against both Audiovox and
Verizon Wireless at the FCC in June 2001 after purchasing her phone at
Verizon Wireless in December 2000. She said she called Audiovox and Verizon
Wireless in hopes they could help her solve the accessibility problem.
Instead, she claims, the two wireless firms blamed each other. Verizon
Wireless, the No. 1 mobile-phone carrier in the nation, argued it is not
liable because it is not a manufacturer. As such, the wireless carrier said
it is not covered by disability access requirements found in Section 255 of
the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

The FCC has broken up the O'Day complaint into separate proceedings against
Verizon Wireless and Audiovox.

"Verizon Wireless and Dr. O'Day are continuing to discuss ways to resolve
the complaint," said Jeffrey Nelson, Verizon Wireless spokesman.

In a separate move, Alva BV, a provider of assistive information technology
for the blind and visually impaired, said Thursday that it is now shipping
the ALVA MPO 5500h, the first fully integrated cellular phone and personal
organizer with features for the blind and visually impaired.

"The MPO puts resources?people, data, and documents?at the user's fingertips
in one small durable device that can be carried in a pocket, book bag or
briefcase and accessed using Braille or speech. Standard cellular phones and
PDAs have almost no accessibility features, short of a few voice-activated
commands. Services are increasingly visually oriented, requiring the user to
navigate through detailed layered menus and select options displayed on tiny
screens," said Alva.

Upcoming MPO features will include e-mail synchronization with Outlook,
added Braille terminal functionality, an Internet browser, global
positioning system location capability, Daisy reader and an MP3 player.

"The MPO gives Alva a chance to apply our Braille display and access
expertise to a growing wireless market," said Alva President Eric Weldink.
"This is a case of technology really addressing a changing market. Our
customers are very mobile, moving between home, workplace and
school?independent people who participate in their community but are
hampered by the limitations of traditional mobile technology."

The Alva MPO 5500 is available through all authorized MPO resellers in the
United States. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is $4,295.


Heather Forsgren Weaver
Washington Reporter
RCR Wireless News
Desk:  202-662-7220
Mobile: 703-304-6361
[log in to unmask]


From the web page
http://www3.sprint.com/PR/CDA/PR_CDA_Press_Releases_Detail/0,3681,1111900,00.html

Sprint | PCS Vision Video Phone VM4050 Coming Soon

Sprint and Audiovox Offer Combination Video and Camera Phone

The PCS Vision Video Phone VM4050 by Toshiba lets customers instantly take
and share videos directly from a mobile phone

Media Contacts:
Jenny Stevens, Sprint, 913-794-2941
[log in to unmask]

Alysia Pappas, G.S. Schwartz & Co., Inc. for Auidovox, 212-725-4500, ext.
329
[log in to unmask]

To learn more or purchase this phone, click
here.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. & HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. - December 03, 2003

Lights, camera, action... the newest handset announced today by Sprint
(NYSE: FON, PCS) and Audiovox Communications Corporation, a subsidiary of
Audiovox
Corporation (Nasdaq: VOXX), gives PCS VisionSM customers the capability to
take video and audio directly on their mobile phones and email it to anyone,
anywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.

"Sprint customers have come to expect the latest and most innovative
products to be available as part of PCS Vision and Picture Mail," said John
Garcia,
vice president of sales and distribution for Sprint. "We feel the Toshiba
VM4050 is a handset that our customers will like not only because it is
practical
but because it is also easy to use."

"This is not your typical mobile phone; this is the new generation of mobile
technology," said Philip Christopher, president and CEO of Audiovox
Communications
Corporation. "Sprint customers will find the VM 4050 useful for both
personal and business functions."

The PCS Vision Video Phone VM4050 by Toshiba has a built-in camera and
camcorder, allowing customers to take and send still images or 15-seconds of
video.
Easy to use, it has a 260K full-color screen, 310/350-pixel primary display.
It also has 4X digital and 2X telescopic zooms for taking still photos. The
handset also features a sub-LCD slot that lets users preview a picture
before taking it, as well as a built-in self-timer.

Features of the VM4050 include:
List of 18 items
* Compact Clamshell Design: 3.66" x 1.89" x .95" and 4.09 ounces

* Built-in Digital Camera: Share it when it happens. VGA camera (640x480
pixels), auto-focus lens and zoom capability.

* Built-in Video Camera: Enjoy sharing captured video clips with your
friends. Record 15-second videos and play them on the LCD screen or send
them to an
email address. Video light makes it easy to take videos anywhere you want.
Easily save your videos on your PCS phone or store them online. You can
attach
a 10-second voice message and text message to your video. Up to 30 videos
can be stored on the handset at one time.

* Large Vibrant-Color Screens: View images on the spectacular 2.2" main LCD,
wrapped in a TFT 260K 18-bit color display. The outside color LCD uses STN
technology and supports 65K colors.

* Camera / Video Light: The integrated light for both still pictures and
video.

* External Picture Caller ID: Link a picture or downloaded graphic to the
contacts in your internal Phone Book and see who's calling without opening
the
phone.

* Built-in Speakerphone: Hands-free operation of your phone is made easy
with the built-in speakerphone.

* Voice Memo: Use to this feature to record reminders, save conversations or
record and use voices as ringers or alerts.

* Voice Guidance: When this feature is turned on, the phone offers voice
output to provide status of the phone activities including spoken output of
phone
numbers, call logs, etc.

* Camera Fun Frames: Choose from 17 different frames to make picture-taking
fun

* Personal Organizer: Includes internal 300-slot Phone Book (up to five
numbers each), Calendar, To-Do List, Alarm, Timer, Calculator and Clock.

* Multiple Languages: Supports voice and text prompts in English and
Spanish.

* Dual-band / tri-mode: This phone may be used on and while roaming off the
enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.

* Extended Battery Life: Standard rechargeable LiIon battery gives you up to
3.3 hours continuous talk and up to 10 days continuous standby time in
digital
mode; up to 1.5 hours continuous talk and up to 15 hours continuous standby
time in analog mode. Extended rechargeable LiIon battery gives you up to 4.5
hours continuous talk and up to 15 days continuous standby time in digital
mode; up to 2.8 hours continuous talk and up to 30 hours continuous standby
time in analog mode.

* 2.5mm Universal Jack: Accommodates most standard headsets for hands-free
operation.

* E911 Emergency Location Capable: Features an embedded Global Positioning
System (GPS) chip necessary for utilizing E911 emergency location services
where
available.

* TTY compatible: Compatible with select TTY devices.
* PCS Vision capabilities: Picture MailSM, Messaging, Games, Ringers, Screen
Savers, Web, PCS Business ConnectionSM.
list end
The VM4050 features dual LCD, full-color displays - a 1-inch outer display,
with 65K STN color, and a large, 2.2-inch, primary, interior QVGA display,
providing
260K Poly-Silicon TFT color. The QVGA display is 3 times higher than
existing QCIF models, which provides users with detailed display pictures.
The VM4050
is expected to be available at Sprint Stores nationwide before the end of
the year.

The VM4050 specifically supports the following PCS Vision applications:

Video Mail and Picture Mail - Taking pictures or 15-second video clips and
instantly sharing them with family and friends has never been easier. Just
point,
shoot and share.

Web -Stay informed while on the go with full-color graphic versions of
popular Internet sites.

Games - Graphically enhanced single and multi player games provide hours of
entertainment on your PCS Vision Phone.

Ringers - Sprint was the first to offer polyphonic ringtones and now, with
Vision-enabled PCS Phones from Sprint, users can express even more
personality
with hundreds of unique downloadable polyphonic, animated, and voice
ringers, including the latest music releases, showtunes and sound effects
that can
be assigned to specific numbers in the address book.

Messaging - PCS Vision gives you more ways to keep in touch than ever. Using
Messaging from Sprint, you can send and receive email and exchange text
messages
-- even join a chat room.

Screen Savers - PCS Vision allows customers to personalize their wireless
service by wirelessly downloading screen savers right from their phone, many
featuring
synchronized animation.

To learn more or purchase this phone, click
here.

About Sprint
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26
million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 68,000 employees
worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely
recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art
network technologies,
including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic
network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local
communications
services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest
100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States.
For more information, visit
www.sprint.com.

About Audiovox Communications Corporation
Audiovox Communications Corp. (ACC), a subsidiary of Audiovox Corporation
(NASDAQ: VOXX), is one of the leading suppliers of wireless products with
more
than 15 years of experience in the wireless industry. ACC markets its
products under the brand "Audiovox" or private labels for its customer base.
ACC
has operations and sales offices in 10 countries and through its customer
base, markets and distributes product in 42 countries on six continents. For
more information, visit
www.audiovox.com.

Copyright© Sprint 2003. All rights reserved.


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