DDTP FAQs

1. What is the DDTP and what does it do?

The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) is a program mandated by California state law to provide specialized telecommunications equipment and services to people in California who have difficulty using a regular telephone because they are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a disability. The program is funded by a small surcharge on all monthly telephone bills in California.

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2. What is the CPUC and what does it have to do with DDTP?

DDTP is a program administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The CPUC is a state agency which regulates certain telecommunications, energy, water, and transportation services in California. The CPUC contracts with various vendors to operate the DDTP and provide its equipment and services. The CPUC has also established three advisory committees to advise on the operations of the program. The voting members of these three committees are California consumers who are users of the program’s equipment and services and who represent specific consumer constituencies.  

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3. What do the consumer committees do?

The three committees meet monthly to review program operations and to make recommendations to the TADDAC and to the CPUC on how the program can best serve consumers.

The Telecommunications Access for the Deaf and Disabled Administrative Committee (TADDAC) reviews the DDTP’s policies and operating procedures, the recommendations of CRSAC and EPAC, and recommends to the CPUC changes and improvements that will enable the DDTP to serve as many consumers as possible within its budget.

The California Relay Service Advisory Committee (CRSAC) reviews service reports and consumer input and complaints about the California Relay Service (CRS) and makes recommendations to the TADDAC and to the CPUC on new services and features that will be useful to CRS users.

The Equipment Program Advisory Committee (EPAC) makes recommendations to the TADDAC and to the CPUC for a standardized list of specialized equipment to be made available to consumers through the program and recommends new technologies and equipment.

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4. I want to share my ideas with the committee members. How can I contact them?

Names and contact information for the committee members representing your community can be found here. You can contact committee members by email or U.S. mail to share your ideas with them about equipment or services which would benefit you or your community. The mailing address is:

Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP)
ATTENTION: Committee Coordinator
505 14 th Street, Suite 400
Oakland , California 94612

You can also attend any of the monthly committee meetings, which are all open to the public. You can find a committee meeting schedule here.

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5. How does someone get to be a committee member?

There are vacancies on all three of the committees every year as existing committee members’ terms expire. All vacancies are announced publicly here and through statewide mailings. People interested in serving on a committee may submit an application for consideration. For most committee seats, you may nominate yourself. Committee nominees need to demonstrate ties to the community they seek to represent and the ability to work collaboratively with a cross-disability group of other consumers. You may request to be added to our mailing list to learn about committee vacancies by contacting the DDTP’s Committee Coordinator.

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6. Are committee meetings open to the public?

All DDTP committee meetings are open to the public, and time is reserved on every agenda for public input. You can view a schedule of committee meetings by clicking here

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