Verizon Offers More Help to Customers With Disabilities

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Verizon Offers More Help to Customers With Disabilities

Company's Massachusetts Center for Customers With Disabilities Marks

15th Year; Expands Service Nationwide

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/NYW12030012008

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MARLBORO, Mass., Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers who have hearing,

visual, cognitive or physical disabilities are receiving more

assistance than ever from the Verizon Center for Customers with

Disabilities (VCCD) in Marlboro.

When the center opened in 1992, it had a staff of six representatives

who handled approximately 4,000 calls a year from customers with

vision, cognitive, mobility, speech or hearing disabilities. Today,

as the center celebrates its 15th anniversary, its staff has grown to

more than 100 representatives who now handle some 700,000 calls

nationally.

" The men and women who work at the center are so proud of the work

they are doing; they love the market they serve, " said Mahoney,

who manages the center. " A lot has changed since we began this work,

but our mission has remained the same: to provide the best customer

experience possible to those customers who have a disability. "

The VCCD was an outgrowth of the Massachusetts E911 legislation,

which provided funding for the statewide E911 system as well as

disability services. The center was founded to help provide adaptive

telephone equipment to Bay State residents. The center continued to

expand to provide additional services and now serves customers

throughout the United States.

The staff assists customers with many of their telecommunications

needs, including phone, Internet and TV service. For example, the

staff provides an array of telephones and other equipment, including

TTYs, amplified phones and large-button phones. The VCCD also

provides such services as large-print bills, bills printed in

Braille, and even a talking caller ID service.

" Verizon's Center for Customers with Disabilities is well-known for

its strong and responsive partnerships with people who are deaf, hard

of hearing, late-deafened, deaf-blind or living with a disability, "

said Heidi L. , commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for

the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. " Across the state, thousands have

gained access to the telephone as a direct result of connecting with

the center for knowledgeable advice, training and specialized

equipment. The VCCD deserves our thanks for 15 years of vital

service; their work has ensured that the telephone works for all of

us. "

Chiango of Billerica, who has used the services of the VCCD,

said: " The people at the center are wonderful. They are so

knowledgeable about our challenges and so helpful in finding

solutions. We are lucky to have them. "

The latest innovation at the VCCD is a new videophone gateway service

that is being tested in some markets in the U.S. Using a broadband

connection or Verizon's revolutionary new FiOS TV and Internet

service, the gateway enables customers who use American Sign Language

to communicate directly with a customer service representative,

eliminating the need for a third party to assist.

The staff of the VCCD publishes a print and online newsletter called

Forward Access, which provides news, special offers and articles that

promote a greater understanding of the issues and needs most

important to people with disabilities.

The VCCD staff also participates in a number of community events and

fundraising activities in support of the people they serve. For

example, last year a team of 13 employees of the VCCD walked and ran

in the Verizon- sponsored Vision 5K, benefiting the National Braille

Press. Last summer, the VCCD organized an accessible Kids Carnival

for 30 children with disabilities and their families.

Customers with disabilities can learn more about the VCCD services by

calling 1 800 974-6006 (voice/TTY) or visiting

Verizon.com/disabilities.