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Deaf and speech impaired people's access to telephones
Deaf and speech impaired people's access to telephones
People who are deaf or speech impaired can use a textphone to access telephony. A textphone (sometimes called a Minicom like vacuum cleaners are called hoovers) is basically a keyboard bolted onto a modem cutting edge 1980s technology! In America a textphone is called a TTY. A textphone costs between £200 and £350 new.
Images are of a Minicom 6000 a brand of textphone which has a keyboard and a set of acoustic coupling cups on the top, a Geemarc Screenphone which is a modern voice carry over textphone with a handset and large screen but no keyboard and a Uniphone 1140 which is another textphone with a keyboard and a handset
Historically textphone users could only call other textphone users which was an improvement on relying on friends and family to relay or make telephone calls but still limited to people and organisations which owned a textphone. This mode can still be used by textphone users.
Image is a diagram of two textphone users connected to one another with a double ended arrow
Relay services between textphone and telephone users
In the 1980s the first UK Relay service then called TypeTalk was set up by RNID and BT. A relay service involves a relay operator joining the call to type to the textphone user and speak to the telephone user.
I am avoiding using the terms deaf/hearing to be inclusive as not all relay users will fall into the deaf/hearing categories..
Image is a diagram of a relay operator typing and speaking to relay calls between a textphone user and telephone user. The textphone user and telephone user have double headed arrows between themselves and the operator but no connection to one another
The UK relay service is now called TextRelay but many people still call it by its old name TypeTalk. Textrelay has a website at http://www.textrelay.org/
Calls via TextRelay are usually eligible for an automatic 60% call-rebate to account for the extra time these calls take so the users are not disadvantaged by higher call costs.
Making a TextRelay call
A TextRelay call can be initiated or received by either a textphone or a telephone user.
Hearing telephone user initiating a phonecall to textphone user via TextRelay
You need to dial 18002 before the full number of a textphone user to relay the call via TextRelay.
There will probably be some automated recorded instructions in a flat computerised female voice saying something like Welcome to BT TextDirect or TextRelay please hold for connection
These instructions will tell you what to do and should be followed until the operator connects (there can sometimes be a few minutes delay if it is busy).
Once connected the relay operator should ask you if you know how the service works, but if they don't, you can ask them to explain it. The textphone user will be given EXPLAINING TEXTRELAY PLS WAIT... messages at this point so they know what's causing a delay.
The relay operator will explain that you the caller and recipient need to take turns to communicate like a radio conversation. When you have finished your turn you should say "go ahead" or "over". This lets the textphone user know it is their turn.
Each side communicates in turn with go ahead/GA between each. Don't talk if it's not your turn as some relay operators will type that while the textphone user is typing and that causes a mixture of operator typing and textphone typing on the screen which is horrible and confusing for the textphone user.
When you want to end the call after saying goodbye etc you can say "stopping" so the operator knows to type SK SK which is short for 'stop keying'.
If your phoneline doesn't allow 18002 to be dialed (common on some workplace systems) contact your telecoms provider for advice, but be prepared for them not to know very much. Ask them to contact the TextRelay customer service for advice on how to set up their systems.
Deaf or speech impaired textphone user phoning someone via TextRelay
A deaf or speech impaired textphone user uses their textphone to dial 18001 before the full telephone number of the telephone user they wish to call. Each textphone has a different way of dialing, you can find many textphone manuals on textrelay's website athttp://www.textrelay.org/downloads.php
Once you have dialed the textphone will display call progress information from TextRelay starting with
Dialing the number: TXD DIALING 18001 0121 ### ####
Waiting for the other side to pick up: TXD RING TXD RING TXD RING
If line is engaged TXD ENGAGED SKSK
Once line is answered, waiting for an operator to connect: TXD CONNECTING TEXTRELAY TXD CONNECTING TEXTRELAY
Operator connects and is explaining TextRelay to the other person: TXD OPERATOR CONNECTED PLS WAIT EXPLAINING TEXT RELAY PLEASE WAIT
You will finally be put through with something like HELLO GA
if the person has given their name already it is 50:50 if the operator passes it on.
It is now time for you to type something yourself - e.g. Hello, this is Natalya, who is speaking pls? GA or Hello, this is Natalya, am I speaking to Ahmed Patel pls? GA
The GA is needed to let the other person know when to speak, you shouldn't type without your GA and they shouldn't try to speak theirs although an operator may relay (type) what is being said anyway. I think some operators tell the other person not to do this, others just type over you resulting in a mixture of in/out typing. This can also happen if you type when it's not your turn. If this happens, I recommend not typing till the typing has finished, and if it is your turn either ask the operator not to do that by typing (note to operator....) or asking the other person not to talk out of turn.
When you are ready to end the call you can sign off Thanks ever so much for your help. Bye SKSK or Thanks, bye. BIBISKSK
I am usually polite and remain on the line till the other person has also said SK SK and THANK YOU FOR USING TEXTRELAY comes up in case there is anything else but many people hang up as soon as they have SKed.
Other messages you may come across using TextRelay on a Textphone
If your recipient hangs up before the operator connects NO ONE ON-LINE, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REDIAL? GA You should be able to say Yes pls GA but sometimes the line is dead and you will need to redial manually which is annoying (and costs you another call connection charge).
If the other person hangs up after operator connects: CALLED PARTY HAS HUNG UP, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REDIAL? GA this time saying yes should work as there is definitely an operator there.
Sometimes an operator is pulled out of your call to handle an emergency, you will get an INTERRUPT OPERATOR CALLED TO EMERGENCY CALL type message followed by TXD CONNECTING TEXTRELAY TXD CONNECTING TEXTRELAY while waiting for a new operator who usually connects in within a minute.
Other TextRelay calling prefixes
180015 is for textphone users to dialanother textphone or minicom number to get the 60% call rebate and more useful progress messages. This cannot be used by telephone users. Some telecoms providers don't offer the call rebate even though they should be doing it. You can contact TextRelay's customer service if you want advice on this.
18000 is the TextRelay equivalent of 999 and will get you an operator instantly - they will pull operators off an existing call if needed.
Using TextRelay without a textphone
As of January 2014 it is not very easy to use TextRelay without a textphone. This should change in April 2014 with Next Generation Text Relay (I can't wait!).
While in theory councils and social services can provide textphones many deaf people find that this isn't possible in reality as there's limited budgets and often it's a choice between fire safety and other equipment and a textphone. Some people have had success by challenging initial refusals...
It is possible to set up a laptop and a modem but instructions are hard to find. There is also Aupix PhoneRelay software at http://www.aupix.com/tcphone/relay but this doesn't have the 60% call rebate and can be quite expensive.