(a) TRS User Registration Database.

(1) VRS users call validation. VRS providers shall validate the eligibility of the party on the video side of each call by querying the TRS User Registration Database or the TRS Numbering Directory, as directed by the Commission, the TRS Fund administrator, or the TRS Numbering Administrator, on a per-call basis. Emergency 911 calls are excepted from the requirement in this paragraph (a)(1).

(i) Validation shall occur during the call setup process, prior to the placement of the call.

(ii) If the eligibility of at least one party to the call is not validated using the TRS User Registration Database, the call shall not be completed, and the VRS provider shall either terminate the call or, if appropriate, offer to register the user if they are able to demonstrate eligibility.

(iii) Calls that VRS providers are prohibited from completing because the user's eligibility cannot be validated shall not be included in speed of answer calculations and shall not be eligible for compensation from the TRS Fund.

(2) Enterprise and public videophone call validation.

(i) VRS providers shall validate the registration of an enterprise or public videophone used for a VRS call by querying the designated database in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(ii) [Reserved]

(iii) VRS providers shall require their CAs to terminate any call which does not include a registered enterprise or public videophone or, pursuant to the provider's policies, the call does not appear to be a legitimate VRS call, and VRS providers may not seek compensation for such calls from the TRS Fund.

(iv) Emergency 911 calls from enterprise and public videophones shall be exempt from the videophone validation requirements of paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section.

(3) The administrator of the TRS User Registration Database shall assign a unique identifier to each user in the TRS User Registration Database.

(4) Data integrity.

(i) Each VRS and IP CTS provider shall request that the administrator of the TRS User Registration Database remove from the TRS User Registration Database user information for any registered user or hearing point-to-point user:

(A) Who informs its default VRS provider or its IP CTS provider that it no longer wants use of a ten-digit number for TRS or (in the case of a hearing point-to-point video user) for point-to-point video service; or

(B) For whom the provider obtains information that the user is not eligible to use the service.

(ii) The administrator of the TRS User Registration Database shall remove the data of:

(A) Any VRS user that has neither placed nor received a VRS or point-to-point call in a one-year period; and

(B) Any user for which a VRS or IP CTS provider makes a request under paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section.

(5) A VRS or IP CTS provider may query the TRS User Registration Database only for the purposes provided in this subpart, and to determine whether information with respect to its registered users already in the database is correct and complete.

(6) User verification.

(i) The TRS User Registration Database shall have the capability of performing an identification verification check when a VRS provider, IP CTS provider, or other party submits a query to the database about an existing or potential user or an enterprise or public videophone.

(ii) VRS and IP CTS providers shall not register individuals or enterprise or public videophones that do not pass the identification verification check conducted through the TRS User Registration Database.

(iii) VRS providers shall not seek compensation for calls placed by individuals or for calls placed to or from enterprise or public videophones that do not pass the identification verification check conducted through the TRS User Registration Database.

(iv) IP CTS providers shall not seek compensation for calls placed to or from individuals that do not pass the identification verification check conducted through the TRS User Registration Database.

(b) Administration—

(1) Terms of administration. The administrator of the TRS User Registration Database shall administer the TRS User Registration Database pursuant to the terms of its contract.

(2) Compensation. The TRS Fund, as defined by §64.604(a)(5)(iii) of this subpart, may be used to compensate the administrator of the TRS User Registration Database for the reasonable costs of administration pursuant to the terms of its contract.

[78 FR 40609, July 5, 2013, as amended at 82 FR 17764, Apr. 13, 2017; 84 FR 8463, Mar. 8, 2019; 84 FR 26372, June 6, 2019; 85 FR 26858, May 6, 2020]