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I've seen a lot of people confused by Next Generation Text Relay (referred to as NGTR from now on) so I will try and simplfy info and cite my sources at the end.
I will assume deaf and hearing users for simplicity and likely common users. I am aware this will affect users with speech impairments and deafblind users.
OfCom's BSL translation of the NGTR approval.
I recommend you read my other blogposts on TextRelay (formerly TypeTalk).
Deaf and speech impaired people's access to telephones which outlines what a textphone is and UK's TextRelay.
Receiving an incoming call from a textphone user via TextRelay explaining incoming TextRelay calls.
Four main modes for using a relay service covering a lot more detail about the variety of options.
1) Allows the deaf person to use their regular PC (windows, mac, linux), tablet or smartphone device (Android, Apple's iOS) or Braille equipment to to connect to NGTR. This means no more expensive custom textphone/minicom hardware and no more needing an analogue telephone line.
[edit: Someone has pointed out to me that there doesn't seem to be info on how to be billed if you don't use a telecoms provider. I am looking into this as I couldn't see the answer in the OfCom documents. I am worried this might mean we need 'a phoneline' either mobile or landline or link in with a VOIP provider which is hassle and unfuture proof.]
2) Allows us to drop the 18002 dialing prefix that had to be dialled before the deaf person's usual telephone number. This can now be handled via a "TextNumber" which is basically a fake telephone number which automatically routes incoming calls via NGTR before connecting the call to the deaf user. The deaf user will need to register a TextNumber and give it out to people. No more organisations claiming they can't dial or store 18002. Users can still use and dial via 18002 if they wish to.
3) Allows both users to be able to speak and hear one another as well as having relaying of various parts of the call. This means deaf users with residual hearing can hear what is spoken as well as having relaying, or speak for themselves VCO style more naturally while having an op to help relay if there are some words which aren't easy to understand. I am not sure how this will work at implementation, if we'll need a modem/landline or if we can connect via VOIP, suspect it's one of those things we won't know till NGTR launches.
Official (initial) launch date for NGTR is 18th April 2014, but it's all gone a bit quiet, so we don't know if this means there will be a slight delay or not.
How will deaf and hearing NGTR users get the NGTR apps?
The windows/mac/linux apps will be downloadable from the NGTS website. The Android Apps will be in the app store and the iOS (Apple) apps will be from the Apple app store. The Apple apps may be slightly delayed due to Apple's rigorous approval systems.
The apps should all be free. It is also possible that once the NGTR goes live that other organisations may write apps or integrate NGTR functionality into their own apps as the standards should all be open and coherent to telecoms-techies.
How will a deaf person make a call with NGTR
The 18001 prefix will remain for deaf people. Deaf people dial 18001 plus the person's usual number on our smartphones, the 18001 should trigger the app on a smartphone and it will connect to relay and we should be able to handle calls much like we do at present, just on a wider range of devices. I presume the same from the desktop apps but don't know how the phone connection works just yet.
We will be able to dial any number we want after the 18001 just like we have always done, we don't need any pre-registration once we have the apps.
How will a hearing person make a call to a deaf person with NGTR?
They can use the 18002 system that exists at present, OR they can use our new TextNumber which will start with 03 for landlines and 07 for mobiles. This will connect them via the relay service.
I believe using the TextNumber will automatically trigger the app on our PC/smartphone etc and it will flash/ring/pop up and we can answer it in software.
How to register for a TextNumber (fake relay phone number)
Register with Next Generation Text Service (NGTS) via an automated process using the device and number you wish to use. This will generate an automated TextNumber for that device's number. I assume this will be possible entirely in text as needed.
TextNumbers should be free to us, one TextNumber per number. If we change mobile/landline numbers we can just move our existing text number to cover it.
We will have to use our TextNumber once a year to keep it from being de-activated.
Our TextNumber will show up on callerIDs and can be withheld as usual. When calling emergency services 18000 our original number will show for localising us purposes but the services will be told the TextNumber by the relay op.
Can deaf and hearing people in the same household share a phoneline.
Yes! For calls to come through to the house or even mobile just give out the usual number. For calls to come via relay give out the relevant TextNumber.
I am not sure if the mobile TextNumber will handle SMS smoothly or if we'll end up with one mobile number for SMS and another for incoming calls via relay. I hope it won't be two numbers, if it is, and it's annoying we can complain and insist OfCom get that changed.
Will the relaying in NGTR be speech recognition or a human operator?
It will be a human operator required to type at least 40wpm (unless recipient needs it slower e.g. is using Braille) and on average 60wpm. This is a bit slow and NADP and SENSE have raised concerns with OfCom who may revise the standard upwards. Early indications from people online are even pre-release of NGTR relay ops are faster and smoother than usual...
There doesn't seem to be a plan to use computerised speech recognition as the technology is simply no where near suitable yet.
Can businesses download the app and have deaf people contact them directly through NGTR?
Yes, Text-to-Text calls will still be possible via the app or current textphone devices without the relay assistant. Businesses can download the app on their own systems.
Not sure why anyone would want to do the above give many deaf people would prefer online chat systems either via a website or Skype. Also thought needs to be put into how businesses will detect and answer incoming calls swiftly.
How will calls be paid for?
For the hearing person calling a deaf person using TextNumbers they will be billed at the usual minutely rate with no automatic rebate as the main purpose of TextNumbers is for businesses who won't care. An automatic rebate was deemed unlikely to be routinely necessary due to the prevalence of 'inclusive minutes' and 'minute bundles' which NGTR calls must be able to come out of via landline and mobile service providers.
A hearing caller using 18002 prefix instead of the TextNumber will still get the usual rebate (if their telecoms provider handles it right) which would work for someone who called a deaf person regularly. Although I'd expect a regular caller of a deaf person for long calls to be using something civilised like instant messaging e.g Skype etc or SMS or video calls :).
For the deaf person we will still be using a prefix 18001 so will automatically get our rebate and our telecoms company MUST provide that. I think this means that we will have NGTR items on our usual phone bills and landline and mobile phone companies have to handle this by 18th April even though they have not had enough time to test it. My understanding is Telecoms companies have to give us rebate, so might have to give us free calls via relay till they sort it out. :)
Next Generation Text Service Website very sparse at present, I hope it'll improve ASAP.
OfCom's NGTR documents page which is a bit confusing.
Annex 6 is worth reading for a simple breakdown of stuff.
OfCom Review of Relay Services Oct 2012 contains useful stuff in detail.
BSL explanation of NGTR from OfCom from 3rd March .
NGTR explained by Limping Chicken.
Sense deaf-blindness charity response to NGTR.
I will assume deaf and hearing users for simplicity and likely common users. I am aware this will affect users with speech impairments and deafblind users.
OfCom's BSL translation of the NGTR approval.
If you don't know about existing TextRelay phone services for deaf and speech impaired people
I recommend you read my other blogposts on TextRelay (formerly TypeTalk).
Next Generation Text Relay - NGTR will provide the following improvements to pre 2014 TextRelay services:
1) Allows the deaf person to use their regular PC (windows, mac, linux), tablet or smartphone device (Android, Apple's iOS) or Braille equipment to to connect to NGTR. This means no more expensive custom textphone/minicom hardware and no more needing an analogue telephone line.
[edit: Someone has pointed out to me that there doesn't seem to be info on how to be billed if you don't use a telecoms provider. I am looking into this as I couldn't see the answer in the OfCom documents. I am worried this might mean we need 'a phoneline' either mobile or landline or link in with a VOIP provider which is hassle and unfuture proof.]
2) Allows us to drop the 18002 dialing prefix that had to be dialled before the deaf person's usual telephone number. This can now be handled via a "TextNumber" which is basically a fake telephone number which automatically routes incoming calls via NGTR before connecting the call to the deaf user. The deaf user will need to register a TextNumber and give it out to people. No more organisations claiming they can't dial or store 18002. Users can still use and dial via 18002 if they wish to.
3) Allows both users to be able to speak and hear one another as well as having relaying of various parts of the call. This means deaf users with residual hearing can hear what is spoken as well as having relaying, or speak for themselves VCO style more naturally while having an op to help relay if there are some words which aren't easy to understand. I am not sure how this will work at implementation, if we'll need a modem/landline or if we can connect via VOIP, suspect it's one of those things we won't know till NGTR launches.
Official (initial) launch date for NGTR is 18th April 2014, but it's all gone a bit quiet, so we don't know if this means there will be a slight delay or not.
Questions deaf and hearing people have asked me
How will deaf and hearing NGTR users get the NGTR apps?
The windows/mac/linux apps will be downloadable from the NGTS website. The Android Apps will be in the app store and the iOS (Apple) apps will be from the Apple app store. The Apple apps may be slightly delayed due to Apple's rigorous approval systems.
The apps should all be free. It is also possible that once the NGTR goes live that other organisations may write apps or integrate NGTR functionality into their own apps as the standards should all be open and coherent to telecoms-techies.
How will a deaf person make a call with NGTR
The 18001 prefix will remain for deaf people. Deaf people dial 18001 plus the person's usual number on our smartphones, the 18001 should trigger the app on a smartphone and it will connect to relay and we should be able to handle calls much like we do at present, just on a wider range of devices. I presume the same from the desktop apps but don't know how the phone connection works just yet.
We will be able to dial any number we want after the 18001 just like we have always done, we don't need any pre-registration once we have the apps.
How will a hearing person make a call to a deaf person with NGTR?
They can use the 18002 system that exists at present, OR they can use our new TextNumber which will start with 03 for landlines and 07 for mobiles. This will connect them via the relay service.
I believe using the TextNumber will automatically trigger the app on our PC/smartphone etc and it will flash/ring/pop up and we can answer it in software.
How to register for a TextNumber (fake relay phone number)
Register with Next Generation Text Service (NGTS) via an automated process using the device and number you wish to use. This will generate an automated TextNumber for that device's number. I assume this will be possible entirely in text as needed.
TextNumbers should be free to us, one TextNumber per number. If we change mobile/landline numbers we can just move our existing text number to cover it.
We will have to use our TextNumber once a year to keep it from being de-activated.
Our TextNumber will show up on callerIDs and can be withheld as usual. When calling emergency services 18000 our original number will show for localising us purposes but the services will be told the TextNumber by the relay op.
Can deaf and hearing people in the same household share a phoneline.
Yes! For calls to come through to the house or even mobile just give out the usual number. For calls to come via relay give out the relevant TextNumber.
I am not sure if the mobile TextNumber will handle SMS smoothly or if we'll end up with one mobile number for SMS and another for incoming calls via relay. I hope it won't be two numbers, if it is, and it's annoying we can complain and insist OfCom get that changed.
Will the relaying in NGTR be speech recognition or a human operator?
It will be a human operator required to type at least 40wpm (unless recipient needs it slower e.g. is using Braille) and on average 60wpm. This is a bit slow and NADP and SENSE have raised concerns with OfCom who may revise the standard upwards. Early indications from people online are even pre-release of NGTR relay ops are faster and smoother than usual...
There doesn't seem to be a plan to use computerised speech recognition as the technology is simply no where near suitable yet.
Can businesses download the app and have deaf people contact them directly through NGTR?
Yes, Text-to-Text calls will still be possible via the app or current textphone devices without the relay assistant. Businesses can download the app on their own systems.
Not sure why anyone would want to do the above give many deaf people would prefer online chat systems either via a website or Skype. Also thought needs to be put into how businesses will detect and answer incoming calls swiftly.
How will calls be paid for?
For the hearing person calling a deaf person using TextNumbers they will be billed at the usual minutely rate with no automatic rebate as the main purpose of TextNumbers is for businesses who won't care. An automatic rebate was deemed unlikely to be routinely necessary due to the prevalence of 'inclusive minutes' and 'minute bundles' which NGTR calls must be able to come out of via landline and mobile service providers.
A hearing caller using 18002 prefix instead of the TextNumber will still get the usual rebate (if their telecoms provider handles it right) which would work for someone who called a deaf person regularly. Although I'd expect a regular caller of a deaf person for long calls to be using something civilised like instant messaging e.g Skype etc or SMS or video calls :).
For the deaf person we will still be using a prefix 18001 so will automatically get our rebate and our telecoms company MUST provide that. I think this means that we will have NGTR items on our usual phone bills and landline and mobile phone companies have to handle this by 18th April even though they have not had enough time to test it. My understanding is Telecoms companies have to give us rebate, so might have to give us free calls via relay till they sort it out. :)
Sources and links
Next Generation Text Service Website very sparse at present, I hope it'll improve ASAP.
OfCom's NGTR documents page which is a bit confusing.
Annex 6 is worth reading for a simple breakdown of stuff.
OfCom Review of Relay Services Oct 2012 contains useful stuff in detail.
BSL explanation of NGTR from OfCom from 3rd March .
NGTR explained by Limping Chicken.
Sense deaf-blindness charity response to NGTR.
