About DDTP

The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) is a public program mandated by the California State legislature and administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The DDTP has two components: the California Relay Service which includes Speech to Speech and the California Telephone Access Program which provides assistive telecommunications equipment. Their purpose is to provide access to basic telephone service for Californians who have difficulty using the telephone.

The CPUC is advised by the Telecommunications Access for the Deaf and Disabled Administrative Committee (TADDAC), the California Relay Service Advisory Committee (CRSAC), and the Equipment Program Advisory Committee (EPAC). A majority of the members of these committees represent consumers of the DDTP services and equipment.

The DDTP is funded by a small surcharge that appears on all Californian's telephone bills. The money collected from this surcharge pays for both the equipment loan program (CTAP) and the California Relay Service (CRS). This surcharge appears on your phone bill as "CA Relay Service and Communications Devices Fund."

Pursuant to Public Utilities Code § 2881, the DDTP distributes telecommunications equipment and services for individuals certified as having functional limitations of hearing, vision, movement, manipulation, speech and/or interpretation of information. The numbers of the enabling legislation that commonly identify these programs are:

• Senate Bill 597 (1979), Assembly Bill 3369 (1984) and Senate Bill 227 (1984)
  Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf
• Senate Bill 244(1983) California Relay Service
• Senate Bill 60 (1985) Supplemental Telecommunications Devices for the Disabled