Telecommunications Relay and TTY/TDD
The following is excerpted from the website of Relay Connecticut, www.relayconnecticut.com.
What is Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)
- Telecommunications relay service provides full telephone accessibility to people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech-disabled. Specially trained Communication Assistants complete all calls and stay on-line to relay messages either electronically over a Text Telephone (TTY), captioned telephone (CapTel), personal computer via the Internet or verbally to hearing parties.
- This service, known here as “Relay Connecticut”, is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no restrictions on the length or number of calls placed. Anyone, including deaf, hearing impaired, and speech impaired people, can make any kind of call any time of the day.
- Relay Connecticut is a confidential service. All calls are kept private, and no records of conversations are maintained. Communications Assistants do not share information regarding the content of relay calls, unless they are required to do so by state or federal law.
- Voice for Hearing Callers: 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-8134 is a telephone relay number that connects standard (Voice) telephone users with deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind and/or speech-disabled people who use text telephones (TTY, VCO, HCO or STS).
- Voice to CapTel: Dial 7-1-1 or 1-888-269-7477
- TTY: Dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-842-9710 allows a person who is deaf or hard of hearing to type their messages and read the other person’s responses. For a person who is speech-disabled, dial 7-1-1 or 1-877-842-5177 (speech to speech) or Dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-842-9710 (hearing carry-over)
- Spanish callers: 7-1-1 or 800-680-3746
What is TTY, HCO, STS, VCO?
- TTY = Text Telephone
- CapTel = Captioned Telephone
- DBS = Deaf-Blind Service
- HCO = Hearing Carry-Over
- STS = Speech-To-Speech
- VCO = Voice Carry-Over
Who is Eligible?
Callers who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech-disabled
How to Apply
Both TTY and voice users may initiate calls through Relay Connecticut by dialing 7-1-1.
Cost
- There is no charge for using the relay service within the local areas.
- Long distance calls are placed using your selected long-distance carrier and are billed by that company directly.
- Direct dial, collect calls, third party calls, credit cards and calling cards are available through the relay service.
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SOURCE: Relay Connecticut website
PREPARED BY: 211/jm
CONTENT LAST MODIFIED: December2023
