The petition
My name is Eric Foreman, a totally blind individual and customer of Sprint. I have been with Sprint for several years and also have all of my family on sprint. I am very satisfied with Sprint’s network quality basic features such as three way calling and call waiting, however nothing is being done to provide people with visual impairments an affordable solution to acquire a fully accessible phone. Because of Sprints unresponsive role in solving this problem they have lost several blind and visually impaired customers and will continue to do so if an adequate conclusion is not reached soon. Over the Last three years major carriers such as Verizon, Cingular/AT&T, and T-Mobile have made arrangements to help provide more affordable accessible cell phones for their customers. These phones allow them to check email, browse the internet, send SMS TEXT MESSAGES, and MORE efficiently operate THE CELL PHONE USING SPEECH OUTPUT WHICH PROVIDES THEM WITH TALKING CALLER ID AND OTHER FEATURES. I can’t see any Reason why Sprint Nextel as a company doesn’t have something set up for their customers. Cingular. /AT&T even offers Mobile speak Smart phone to it’s customers at a discount for $80.00 the full price of this software is $300.00. Mobile speak smart Phone is accessible software which allows visually impaired or blind customers the ability to access all features of the cell phone. Mobile speak Smart phone is created by Code Factory a company dedicated to making cell phones more user friendly for the visually impaired community. This software works like a screen reader for a personal computer such as JAWS or Window eyes, reading what is displayed on the screen and also announcing keys that are being pressed. This software does this with a synthesized voice which can be heard through the cell phone speaker or ear piece.
Another alternative for sprint is Mobile Speak pocket designed by the same company, Mobile Speak pocket runs on Microsoft windows mobile version 5, 6 and version 2003 operating systems. Code factories Mobile speak Smartphone runs on smartphones operating on the windows mobile 5 and 6 platforms. These operating systems are normally found on Personal digital Assistant (PDA) phones such as the Sprint audiovox PPC 6700. But Smartphone additions of windows mobile are being included in other styles of cell phones. The sprintPPC6700 runs the windows mobile version 5.0 operating system for Pocket PC. Sprint also has the Palm Treo 700WX and the Samsung IP-830 also running Microsoft windows Mobile version 5.0 for Pocket PC. The Sprint PPC6800/HTC Mogul is running the windows mobile 6 operating system for Pocket PC. Sprint has Smartphones, the Motorola Q which is running windows mobile 5 Smartphone addition. The new aditions the Motorola Q9C, and the HTC Touch which are running Windows mobile 6 standard. The combined cost of both the personal digital assistant (pda) phones or Smartphones and the mobile speak software is well over $800.00 to have that accessible privilege. As we all know it is quite difficult for a blind or visually impaired person to live from month to month being on a fixed income with out trying to perches over $800.00 worth of equipment to make there lives easier. As discussed earlier with Cingular/AT&T offering there customers a $80.00 discount on software which actually costs $300.00 this could work for sprint Nextel. One other alternative is the Screenless Phone (Owasys 22C) which offers all of the functions email, internet, text messaging, caller id talking menus and additional features built rite in to the phone. I was told by the distributor in the United States of America known as Capital Accessibility that this phone could be programmed to work with sprint or Nextel services. Capital Accessibility currently has a deal with T-Mobile
Which offers the Owasys 22C A K A the Screenless phone for the price of $199.95 not including shipping and handling with activation of a two year contract. The Mobile Speak software can be purchased from a distributor known as ETO Engineering, PLLC
Ray Gonzales, P.E. Owner
Fax: 1-877-285-7529 (toll free)
email: ray.gonzales@etoengineering.com
Capital Accessibility contact information
Toll-Free: (+1) 877-292-2747
Voice: (+1) 202-595-7777
Email:
Sales
sales@screenlessphone.com
Information
info@screenlessphone.com
If you agree with the above facts and would like to voice your opinion as a Sprint-Nextel customer or concerned individual pleas feel free to sign my Petition by filling out the required fields and clicking or pressing inter on the button below labeled sign Petition. The more signatures the better and the more Cell phone carriers offering accessible solutions to customers with visual impairments the sooner they all will have to comply. Make sure that you get In contact with all of your friends that are blind or visually impaired and get them to sign as well. We really need to stand up for our rites to have access to all of the same features that sighted people use daily on there cell phones.
After signing the petition be sure to either click or press inter on the link above called signature and make certain that your signature and comments went through. Your email address will not be viewable by anyone but myself and will not be shared with anyone. You may also check out the other comments from other interested parties. Thanks for your input
Eric
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