What Forms of TRS Are Available?
There are several forms of TRS,
depending on the particular needs of the user and the
equipment available.
Text-to-Voice TTY-based TRS
– With this type of “traditional” TRS, a person with a
hearing or speech disability uses a special text
telephone, called a TTY, to call the CA at the relay
center. TTYs have a keyboard and allow people to type
their telephone conversations. The text is read on a
display screen and/or a paper printout. A TTY user calls a
TRS relay center and types the number of the person he or
she wishes to call. The CA at the relay center then makes
a voice telephone call to the other party to the call, and
relays the call back and forth between the parties by
speaking what a text user types, and typing what a voice
telephone user speaks.
Voice Carry Over -
Voice Carry Over (VCO) is a type of TRS that allows a
person with a hearing disability, but who wants to use his
or her own voice, to speak directly to the called party
and receive responses in text from the CA. No typing is
required by the calling party. This service is
particularly useful to senior citizens who have lost their
hearing, but who can still speak.
Hearing Carry Over -
Hearing Carry Over (HCO) is a type of TRS that allows a
person with a speech disability, but who wants to use
his/her own hearing, to listen to the called party and
type his/her part of the conversation on a TTY. The CA
reads these words to the called party, and the caller
hears responses directly from the called party.
Speech-to-Speech (STS) Relay
Service - This form of TRS is used by a person
with a speech disability. A CA, who is specially trained
in understanding a variety of speech disorders, repeats
what the caller says in a manner that makes the caller's
words clear and understandable to the called party. No
special telephone is needed. For more information
regarding STS visit
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/speechtospeech.html.
Shared Non-English Language
Relay Services - Due to the large number of
Spanish speakers in the United States, the FCC requires
interstate TRS providers to offer Spanish-to-Spanish
traditional TRS. Although Spanish language relay is not
required for intrastate (within a state) TRS, many states
with large numbers of Spanish speakers offer this service
on a voluntary basis. The FCC also allows TRS providers
who voluntarily offer other shared non-English language
interstate TRS, such as French-to-French, to be
compensated from the federal TRS fund.
Captioned Telephone Service
- Captioned telephone service, like VCO, is used by
persons with a hearing disability but some residual
hearing. It uses a special telephone that has a text
screen to display captions of what the other party to the
conversation is saying. A captioned telephone allows the
user, on one line, to speak to the called party and to
simultaneously listen to the other party and read captions
of what the other party is saying. There is a “two-line”
version of captioned telephone service that offers
additional features, such as call-waiting, *69, call
forwarding, and direct dialing for 911 emergency service.
Unlike traditional TRS (where the CA types what the called
party says), the CA repeats or re-voices what the called
party says. Speech recognition technology automatically
transcribes the CA’s voice into text, which is then
transmitted directly to the user’s captioned telephone
text display.
Video Relay Service (VRS)
- This Internet-based form of TRS allows persons whose
primary language is American Sign Language (ASL) to
communicate with the CA in ASL using video conferencing
equipment. The CA speaks what is signed to the called
party, and signs the called party’s response back to the
caller. VRS is not required by the FCC, but is offered by
several TRS providers. VRS allows conversations to flow in
near real time and in a faster and more natural manner
than text-based TRS. Beginning January 1, 2006, TRS
providers that offer VRS must provide it 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, and must answer incoming calls within a
specific period of time so that VRS users do not have to
wait for a long time. For more information regarding VRS
visit
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/videorelay.html.
Internet Protocol (IP) Relay
Service – IP Relay is a text-based form of TRS
that uses the Internet, rather than traditional telephone
lines, for the leg of the call between the person with a
hearing or speech disability and the CA. Otherwise, the
call is generally handled just like a TTY-based TRS call.
The user may use a computer or other web-enabled device to
communicate with the CA. IP Relay is not required by the
FCC, but is offered by several TRS providers. For more
information regarding IP Relay visit
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/iprelay.html.
IP Captioned Telephone Service
– IP captioned telephone service, one of the newest forms
of TRS, combines elements of captioned telephone service
and IP Relay. IP captioned telephone service can be
provided in a variety of ways, but uses the Internet –
rather than the telephone network – to provide the link
and captions between the caller with a hearing disability
and the CA. It allows the user to simultaneously both
listen to, and read the text of, what the other party in a
telephone conversation is saying. IP captioned telephone
service can be used with an existing voice telephone and a
computer or other Web-enabled device without requiring any
specialized equipment. For more information regarding IP
captioned telephone service, visit
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/ipcaptioned.html.
711 Access to TRS
Just as you can call 411 for
information, you can dial 711 to connect to certain forms
of TRS anywhere in the United States. Dialing 711 makes it
easier for travelers to use TRS because they do not have
to remember TRS numbers in every state. Because of
technological limitations, however, 711 access is not
available for the Internet-based forms of TRS (VRS and IP
Relay).
For more information regarding 711,
visit
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/711.html.
Mandatory Minimum Standards for TRS
TRS providers must offer service that
meets certain mandatory minimum standards set by the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC). These include:
-
The CA answering or placing a TRS
call must stay with the call for a minimum of 10 minutes
to avoid disruptions to the TRS user (15 minutes for STS
calls).
-
Most forms of TRS must be available
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
-
TRS providers must answer 85
percent of all calls within 10 seconds (but there are
different answer speed rules for VRS).
-
TRS providers must make best
efforts to accommodate a TRS user's requested CA gender.
-
CAs are prohibited from
intentionally altering or disclosing the content of a
relayed conversation and generally must relay all
conversation verbatim unless the user specifically
requests summarization.
-
TRS providers must ensure user
confidentiality and CA’s (with a limited exception for
STS) may not keep records of the contents of any
conversation.
-
The conversation must be relayed in
real time.
-
CAs must provide a minimum typing
speed for text-based calls and VRS CAs must be qualified
interpreters.
-
For most forms of TRS, the provider
must be able to handle emergency (911) calls and relay
them to the appropriate emergency services.
Users of Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) service, can also access relay services by dialing
711.
Don’t Hang Up!
Some people hang up on TRS calls
because they think the CA is a telemarketer. If you hear,
"Hello. This is the relay service…” when you pick up the
phone, please don’t hang up! You are about to talk,
through a TRS provider, to a person who is deaf,
hard-of-hearing, or has a speech disability.
Filing a Complaint with the FCC
If you have a complaint about lack of
or improperly functioning TRS, 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.
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