Background
Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)
permits persons with a hearing or speech disability to use the
telephone system via a text telephone (TTY) or other device. Now
TRS users are only a mouse click away from a new TRS option. All
they need is an Internet connection and they can use Internet
Protocol (IP) Relay. For more information about other forms of TRS,
see the FCC’s consumer fact sheet at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/trs.html.
How IP Relay Service Works
IP Relay allows people who have difficulty
hearing or speaking to communicate through the telephone system
with hearing persons. IP Relay is accessed using a computer and
the Internet, rather than a TTY and a telephone. So individuals
who use IP Relay do not need to invest in a TTY; they simply use
the computer to communicate by text. When conversing over IP
Relay, people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have difficulty
speaking can participate in a conference call or go online while
holding a conversation.
Unlike traditional TRS, where a TTY user
contacts a TRS center via telephone lines and the communication
assistant (CA) at the TRS center calls the receiving party via
voice telephone, the first leg of an IP Relay call goes from the
caller’s computer, or other Web-enabled device, to the IP Relay
Center via the Internet. The IP Relay Center is usually accessed
via a Web page. The second leg of the call, as with traditional
TRS, is from the CA to the receiving party via voice telephone
through the public switched telephone network.
There are no additional costs to consumers
for IP Relay beyond a computer or other Web-capable device and an
Internet connection.
IP Relay service providers are compensated
from the Interstate TRS Fund, which the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) oversees.
Benefits of IP Relay
There are several consumer benefits of IP
Relay:
-
Availability – IP Relay is available
to anyone who has access to the Internet via a computer,
personal digital assistant (PDA), Web-capable telephone, or
other device.
-
Convenience – Consumers do not need
to go to a separate TTY or log off the Internet to use a TTY
telephone line. IP Relay lets consumers make relay calls even
when there is no TTY handy. In addition, consumers often say
that using a computer screen and keyboard is easier than using a
TTY. IP Relay permits much faster typing and allows users to see
much more of the conversation on their computer screens than
they can see with a TTY LCD window. IP Relay also allows users
to print out and save conversations.
-
Multiple Calls – IP Relay users can
initiate multiple calls simultaneously, make conference calls,
or browse the Internet while making a call.
-
Quality – Transmission quality may
be faster via IP Relay than via a TTY.
-
Multivendoring – Like users of most
other telecommunications services, IP Relay users can choose
among any of the relay providers and are not limited to their
state’s selected relay providers. Providers therefore compete
for consumers, which enhances service quality.
Filing a Complaint with the FCC
If you have a problem with IP Relay
Service, first try to resolve it with the provider. If you are
unable to resolve it directly, you can file a complaint with the
FCC. There is no charge for filing a complaint. You can file
your complaint using an on-line complaint form found at
esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. You can also file your
complaint with the FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing
fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC
(1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications
Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554.
What to Include in Your Complaint
The best way to provide all the information
the FCC needs to process your complaint is to complete fully the
on-line complaint form. When you open the on-line complaint
form, you will be asked a series of questions that will take you
to the particular section of the form you need to complete. If
you do not use the on-line complaint form, your complaint, at a
minimum, should indicate:
-
your name, address, e-mail address, and
phone number where you can be reached;
-
whether you are filing a complaint on
behalf of another party, and, if so, the party’s name, address,
email address, day time phone number, and your relationship to
the party;
-
preferred format or method of response
(letter, fax, voice phone call, email, TRS, TTY, ASCII text,
audio recording, or Braille);
-
that your complaint is about TRS;
-
the name, address, and telephone number (if
known) of the company or companies involved with your complaint;
and
-
a brief description of your complaint and
the resolution you are seeking, and a full description of the
equipment or service you are complaining about, including date
of purchase, use, or attempt to use.
For More
Information
For more information
about IP Relay or TRS, or to learn more about FCC
programs to promote access to telecommunications
services for people with disabilities, visit the FCC’s
Disability Rights Office Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro. For information about other
telecommunications issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb, or contact the FCC’s Consumer
Center using the information provided for filing a
complaint.
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