Talking ATMs

The Law Office of Lainey Feingold first began working on Talking ATMs in 1995. Lainey and her clients and co-counsel negotiated the first Talking ATM settlements in the United States. Beginning in 1999, Lainey negotiated 20 Talking ATM settlements with the country's largest financial institutions. Stories of many of these negotiations are included in Lainey's book, Structured Negotiation, A Winning Alternative to Lawsuits. This topic includes articles about those settlements, related press releases, Talking ATM regulations, international Talking ATM installations and more.

Finally: U.S. Talking ATM Regulations Fully in Force

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
On March 15, 2012, federal regulations with detailed Talking ATM requirements will finally be mandatory. The Talking ATM standards come at the end of a long (and continuing) road of grass-roots and legal advocacy in the U.S. and around the globe. March 15, 2012 is more than twelve years after the first Talking ATM was installed in the United States. Tens of thousands of ATMs now talk, but still too many do not. Read more… Finally: U.S. Talking ATM Regulations Fully in Force

Consumer World Publishes Boston Talking ATM Survey

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
On April 24, 2012, Consumer World, a consumer education organization based in Massachusetts, published the results of its survey on Talking ATM and talking fare machines in Boston. The results show that far too many ATMs and fare machines are still not accessible to people with visual impairments. One bank that is doing a good job? Bank of America, where every ATM tested was a working Talking ATM. Read more… Consumer World Publishes Boston Talking ATM Survey

Talking ATMs in India

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
The June 6, 2012 Google Alert for Talking ATMs included a news report, posted below, of the “first” Talking ATM in India. It was not the first time the Indian press covered accessible ATMs though. In September 2011 the Hindu Business Times reported on the experience of using a Talking ATM for the first time, but on closer read last Fall’s story may just have been describing temporary installations. Whether or not Union Bank of India has installed the first or second Talking ATM, congratulations go out to advocates in the Indian blind community and that country’s banking industry for recognizing the importance of accessible technology. Read more… Talking ATMs in India

NCR Installs Additional Talking ATMs in India (with solar power option too!)

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
The article posted here about NCR’s Talking ATMs in India first appeared in the Hindu Business Line. The Law Office of Lainey Feingold, and Linda Dardarian, first engaged with NCR in the mid-1990’s as the Talking ATM initiative was getting underway in the United States. This story about NCR’s Talking (and solar-powered!) ATMs demonstrates yet again that accessibility is an international issue. Accessible technology that starts in one country is bound to make its way around the world. The technology corporations are global, advocacy needs to be too. Blind advocates are not mentioned in the story below, but no doubt they played an important role in efforts to bring independent access to financial services to India. Read more… NCR Installs Additional Talking ATMs in India (with solar power option too!)

Bank of America Florida Talking ATM Press Release

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
This release was one of several issued as part of the implementation of the first Bank of America Settlement Agreement negotiated by Lainey and co-counsel Linda Dardarian using Structured Negotiations. This agreement was the first in the country to address Talking ATMs, web accessibility, and alternative formats. As of early 2008, Bank of America had over 11,000 Talking ATMs. Read more… Bank of America Florida Talking ATM Press Release

Citibank New York Talking ATM Press Release

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
The Citibank New York Press Release, announcing New York City’s first Talking ATMs, was issued as a result of the final Citibank settlement agreement. That agreement was negotiated by Lainey and co-counsel Linda Dardarian using Structured Negotiations on behalf of the California Council of the Blind and blind advocates Steven Mendelsohn and Kathy Martinez. The Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) also represented the Claimants. Read more… Citibank New York Talking ATM Press Release

Bank of America National Press Release

Posted on Updated on March 10, 2016
This release was issued after Bank of America expanded its commitment to provide accessible services by signing a national Talking ATM agreement in which it agreed to install Talking ATMs at 85% of its locations. The agreement, negotiated in the year following first Bank of America Settlement Agreement was negotiated by Lainey and co-counsel Linda Dardarian using Structured Negotiations. In early 2008, Bank of America has over 11,0000 Talking ATMs. Read more… Bank of America National Press Release