# Telecommunications Relay Service ASCII Format Requirement

**Action Urgency Score:** 30/100

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Agency | Federal Communications Commission |
| Type | Final rule |
| Action | Final rule. |
| Published | 2026-09-10 |
| Effective | 2026-10-13 |
| Significant | No |
| CFR parts | 47 CFR 64 |
| Summary | In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amends its rules to eliminate the requirement that Text Telephone (TTY)-based Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) be capable of communicating in the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format. By removing this outdated regulatory mandate, the Commission relieves TRS providers of the obligation to maintain costly and obsolete ASCII-compatible hardware and software systems. Eliminating this requirement will reduce inefficiencies, preserve the integrity of the TRS Fund, and allow providers to redirect  |
| Document number | 2026-18478 |

## Why this score
- Final rule.

Source: Federal Register API (Office of the Federal Register) (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/10/2026-18478/telecommunications-relay-service-ascii-format-requirement). Last refreshed: 2026-11-04T09:17:43.641Z.
Data from the Federal Register API; the published Federal Register document is authoritative. Informational only, not legal advice.