About Relay Texas

What is Relay Texas?

Relay Texas provides telephone interpreting service between individuals who can hear and those who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled. Relay Texas agents have equipment that enables them to hear a speaking caller and also read the text sent by a text telephone (TTY) user.

This service is available for Texans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are no restrictions imposed on Relay Texas calls. Texas and United States laws ensure confidentiality for relay users and operators.

How does it work?

Either a TTY user or a person using a standard phone may initiate a call through Relay Texas by dialing the relay number 711. After dialing Relay Texas, the person initiating the call gives the desired phone number to the Relay Texas Agent, who then dials that number using another phone line. The Relay Agent types the standard phone user's spoken words to the person using the TTY and voices the TTY user's text.

Funding

Universal Service Fund

The Texas Universal Service Fund (USF) provides funding for Relay Texas and the Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP), as well as other programs.

The Public Utility Commission (PUC) is the USF administrator; however, Solix, Inc has been contracted to manage USF collection and payment responsibilities. All telecommunication companies doing business in Texas pay into the USF based on their retail revenues. The law allows companies to recover funds paid into the Texas Universal Service Fund; these charges may show up on your phone bill as a "Universal Service Fund" or "Texas Universal Service Fund" charge.

Sprint, the contracted relay service provider in Texas, submits a monthly invoice, itemizing service provision costs, to the PUC for review. Upon PUC approval, Solix disburses money from the USF to make a payment to Sprint. In addition, Solix is also authorized to pay for Relay Texas and STAP administrative costs incurred by the PUC and the Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) and to reimburse STAP vendors for appropriately exchanged STAP vouchers.

The cost of the STAP and Relay Texas represents less than five percent of the entire USF. For more information on the Texas Universal Service Fund, visit the following link:

Texas Universal Service Fund

Last Updated: 04/17/09