Who Authorized Web Access To Relay Services

A typical relay service conversation

A telecommunications relay service, also known as TRS, relay service, or IP-relay, or Web-based relay service, is an operator service that allows people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have a speech disorder to place calls to standard phone users via a keyboard or assistive device. Originally, relay services were designed to exist connected through a TDD, teletypewriter (TTY) or other assistive telephone device. Services gradually have expanded to include about any existent-time text capable technology such as a personal computer, laptop, mobile phone, PDA, and many other devices. The first TTY was invented by deaf scientist Robert Weitbrecht in 1964. The start relay service was established in 1974 by Converse Communications of Connecticut.

Types of services available [edit]

Depending on the technical and physical abilities and physical environments of users, unlike call types are possible via relay services.

TTY to voice/phonation to TTY [edit]

Once the most common type of TRS call, TTY calls involve a phone call from a deaf or hard-of-hearing person who utilizes a TTY to a hearing person. In this type of call, typed messages are relayed as voice messages past a TRS operator,^[1] (besides known equally Communication Assistant (CA),^[ii] Relay Operator (RO),^[three] Relay Assistant (RA),^[4] or relay agent (agent)), and vice versa. This allows callers who are unable to employ a regular telephone to be able to place calls to people who utilise a regular telephone and vice versa. When the person who is hearing is fix for a response, it is customary to say "go ahead" or "GA" to point that it is the TTY (teletypewriter) user'south turn to talk and "terminate keying", "SK", or "ready to hang up" when ending the telephone call and vice versa. This mode of advice has largely been superseded by other modes of communications, including the utilization of IP relay, VPs, VRS, and VRI.

Voice behave over [edit]

A common blazon of call is voice acquit over, VCO. This allows a person who is hard of hearing or deaf but can speak to use their voice while receiving responses from a person who is hearing via the operator's typed text. There are many variations of VCO, including two-line VCO and VCO with privacy.

VCO with privacy [edit]

The operator volition not hear the VCO user's voiced letters and the VCO user does not demand to vox GA. The operator volition hear the person who is hearing, and the person who is hearing must give the GA each time to alert the operator it is the VCO user's turn. The VCO user does not need to vocalism GA, because the VCO user types it or presses the "VCO GA" button on the VCO telephone when it's the vocalism user's turn to talk.

Ii-line VCO [edit]

Ii-line VCO allows a VCO user using a TTY or computer to telephone call a TRS operator, who in turn calls the VCO user on a 2d phone line, which serves as the vocalisation line. The user puts the operator on a brief hold to initiate a three-style call with the hearing person. This method is frequently used by people who are difficult of hearing and like to utilise some of their remainder hearing also not having to say "go alee". With two-line VCO, the VCO user and the voice user can interrupt each other. VCO with Privacy cannot be used with ii-line VCO, because the operator, VCO user, and hearing person are on a three-way call.

Hearing carry over [edit]

A less common call type is hearing carry over (HCO). HCO allows a person who is speech-disabled but can hear to apply their hearing while sending responses to a person who is hearing via the HCO user's typed text. The operator voices the HCO user's typed messages, and then the HCO users picks upward the handset and listens to the other vox user'south response. There are many variations of HCO, including two-line HCO and HCO with privacy.

HCO with privacy [edit]

The operator will non hear the phonation user's voiced letters and the voice user does non need to voice GA. The operator volition voice for the person who is Spoken language-Disabled, and the person who is Spoken language–Disabled must give the GA each fourth dimension to warning the operator it is the voice user's turn. The voice user does not need to voice GA, because the HCO user can hear when the voice user finishes talking.

ii-line HCO [edit]

Similar to 2-line VCO, 2-line HCO allows an HCO user using a TTY or computer to telephone call a TRS operator, who in turn calls the HCO user on a 2d telephone line, which serves as the voice line. The user puts the operator on a brief hold to initiate a three-fashion call with the hearing person. This method is frequently used past people who are Speech communication-Disabled and like to utilise some of their residuum speech also not having to type "GA". With 2–Line HCO, the HCO user and the voice user can interrupt each other. HCO with Privacy cannot exist used with 2–Line HCO, considering the operator, HCO user, and hearing person are on a three–manner call.

Spoken language to speech [edit]

Speech to speech (STS) exists for people who have speech disabilities. A especially–trained STS TRS operator revoices what the person with a speech disability says. STS is ofttimes used in combination with VCO for people who are deaf and have somewhat understandable speech, likewise equally 2–Line HCO users. STS enables people with speech disabilities to call others (able-bodied speakers and other people with speech disabilities). Information technology as well enables people without speech disabilities to phone call people with spoken language disabilities. Anyone tin can phone call 711 in the U.South. and ask for Spoken language to Speech. STS is too available in Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.

Many STS users accept Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, ALS, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy or stroke. Other users stutter or have had a laryngectomy. STS besides helps voice communication synthesizer users, users of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC.) AAC users can set their device next to a speakerphone. They ask the STS CA set the call, negotiate the menu, introduce the telephone call explaining AAC and and so go into the background. This enables AAC users to communicate independently once the other party is on the line.

Deafblind variation [edit]

Telebraille also exists for people who are deafblind with the use of a TTY with a braille or regular keyboard and a refreshable braille display or LVD (Large Visual Display). A relay call of a user who is deafblind is directly related to a relay call of a TTY user, however, the text transmission speed is often reduced to increment the ability of the user who is deafblind to cover the moving braille on the braille TTY or large print on the LVD. Telebraille relay operators must be familiar with Braille contractions that users who are deafblind may use. Due to its implementation of a smaller keyboard, some TTY users with mobile disabilities may prefer to use a Telebraille, regardless of a sight disability or lack thereof.

Captioned phone [edit]

Captioned telephone is a hybrid communication method that enables people who are hard of hearing, oral deaf or late–deafened to speak straight to another party on a telephone call.^[5] Typically, a telephone that displays real-time captions of what the hearing party speaks during a chat. The captions are displayed on a screen embedded in the phone base. A captioned telephone can besides function exactly like a VCO when the user switches the device to VCO mode to do things similar communicate with an HCO user direct, without relay. Captioned phone services can be provided in traditional telephone environments as well as in VOIP environments.

Captions are created by a communications assistant using a computer with voice recognition software. The communications banana listens to and revoices the hearing party'due south side of the conversation into the microphone of a headset. A voice recognition programme creates the captions and they are sent out to the captioned telephone where they are read by the user.

IP CTS [edit]

Prior to 2005, captioned telephone service was only available to people in states that had captioned telephone service as part of their state relay program. In 2005, the FCC made IP CTS a part of the federally mandated services.

IP CTS Requires an internet connection to deliver the captions to the user. Nearly also rely on their regular country-line phone for the audio portion of the phone call, but some configurations of IP CTS allow the use of VOIP to carry the call sound. IP CTS has immune captioned phone service to be provided on smartphones and tablets.

Two–line captioned telephone [edit]

Captioned telephone can also be used with two lines. This is especially useful for users who prefer to give out their abode phone number lone, instead of both the captioning service number and the price-costless captioning service number or for users who prefer to turn captions on and off anytime during the call. two–Line captioned phone tin likewise be used with other relay services. For example, STS tin be used with a two–Line captioned telephone, for captioned telephone users with speech communication disabilities. two–Line captioned telephone is only bachelor to people in states that take ii–Line captioned telephone as role of their relay service or federal employees/contractors and American Indians.^[7]

Spider web-based captioned telephone [edit]

Web-based captioned telephone enables phone calls to be placed with captions, by utilizing the World wide web browser window of a computer or smart telephone. It is similar to a traditional captioned telephone call except the user's own telephone equipment is used, whilst the captions are viewed online instead of in the captioned phone display screen.^[8]

Other variations [edit]

Many other call type variations are possible, including VCO to VCO, HCO to HCO, HCO to TTY, and VCO to TTY. Fundamentally, relay services have the ability to connect whatsoever two callers with dissimilar abilities over the telephone network. Phonation callers in the United States can at present admission the service with a universal number: 711.^[ix] Afterward the number is dialled, the caller volition receive instructions to complete the call to reach deaf callers.

IP/web-based relay services [edit]

IP relay services, called Web-based text relay services in Europe, provide functionality like to TDD/TTY relay services. Instead of using telephone lines and TDD/TTY devices, they utilise an Internet connection and software running on computers or smartphones.

When using an IP relay service for an emergency telephone call like 911 or 112, the relay operator will ask for the street accost, city, and country from which the phone call is originating. If this information is not provided, the relay operator will be unable to complete the emergency phone call.

Most IP relay services support Spider web browsers, mobile telephone apps, text messaging, WAP, instant messaging, and Text over IP (ToIP). Back up for these technologies has enabled many Internet-continued devices to be used with relay services, including desktop and laptop personal computers, mobile phones, and PDAs.

Video relay service [edit]

Video relay service (VRS) allows people who apply sign language to place phone calls past signing instead of typing. The VI (video interpreter) uses a webcam or videophone to voice the deafened, hard-of-hearing or, speech-disabled person's signs to a hearing person and sign the hearing person'southward words to the deaf, difficult-of-hearing or speech-impaired person.

Video remote interpreting [edit]

Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) allows deaf or hard-of-hearing people who employ sign language to communicate with hearing people in the same room. VRI addresses 1 limitation to VRS, which is that VRS cannot be used if the hearing person is in the aforementioned room with the deafened or hard-of-hearing person. VRI has proven to exist useful for deafened or hard-of-hearing people in business meetings, doctor appointments, minor surgical procedures, and court proceedings.

Accessibility [edit]

In Canada and the United States, the phone number 711 is used for the Telecommunications Relay Service.

In the U.S., every phone company is required to connect persons who dial 711 to a TRS telephone call center from a working number.^[10] In July 2007, the Federal Communications Committee ruled that the 711 requirement extended to VOIP telephony.^[11]

Anyone can employ 711; it is not limited to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired. As such, information technology has been used past those without hearing or speech disabilities to make long-distance calls costless of charge with TRS providers who exercise not neb for them. Providers defend this as a necessary evil to maintain "transparency", which is the belief that the operator and the mechanics of relay should generally get every bit unnoticed as possible in the call. This requires that TRS exist as easy to utilize equally normal telephones, which do non require their users to verify annihilation. Leaders in the deaf customs defend this decision and mostly retain potent back up among service users with hearing and speech disabilities.^{[ citation needed ]}

Fraudulent uses in the United States [edit]

The open structure of relay services has led to a number of complaints regarding its use as a vehicle for fraud. In 2004, news outlets, such every bit MSNBC,^[12] and several newspapers, including the Baltimore City Paper,^[thirteen] ran stories of reported corruption of the relay organization, such equally users from international locations calling businesses in the United States to fraudulently buy goods. This has also generated numerous complaints, specially by those who were employed as relay operators, that so-chosen "prank calls," where neither user requires the service and the caller is merely attempting to have fun with a novel fashion of advice. In Dec 2006, NBC ran another story^[fourteen] where former operators alleged that "85 to 90 percent" of calls were scams. Since it is illegal for relay service companies to keep records,^[fifteen] fraudulent users tin can operate with dispensation. Fraudulent calls of both types have been cited equally reasons for further relay regulation, and as causes for long hold times that must be endured by many legitimate users. Near businesses legally cannot have relay calls blocked due to the need for legitimate users to be accommodated, although businesses that are repeatedly victimized past pranks and/or scams often finish trusting relay calls or hang upwards on them considering it is difficult to distinguish legitimate users from illegitimate ones; this is another manner that the abusers of the service ultimately victimize the legitimate users, in addition to tying upwardly the service from them.

In 2006, the FCC launched a campaign to gather feedback from the diverse Net Protocol relay-certified companies operating inside the United States to fight the wave of relay scams and pranks being made over the service. Equally brought upwardly in the FCC's released document,^[sixteen] users on the IP-based relay services tin can thus identify their calls anonymously, which cannot certify that the user in question actually needs operator assistance or non. Furthermore, fraudulent calls of any nature cost millions to the American people yearly (based on the $ane.293 per minute fee^[17] that is being paid for completed IP-based relay) to various relay providers for successfully completed calls.

Starting in November 2009, to help counter the problem of fraudulent use, the FCC began requiring all users of IP Relay to register their screen names with a default IP Relay provider. This, along with many IP Relay providers working to brainwash hearing users of the risks of fraudulent users (making information technology less lucrative for fraudulent users who no longer have an uneducated population to target), and other efforts has greatly reduced the amount of fraudulent utilise of the IP Relay system.

In March 2012, the United States federal government announced a lawsuit against AT&T. The specific accusations state that AT&T "violated the Imitation Claims Act by facilitating and seeking federal payment for IP Relay calls by international callers who were ineligible for the service and sought to apply information technology for fraudulent purposes. The complaint alleges that, out of fears that fraudulent call volume would drib after the registration borderline, AT&T knowingly adopted a non-compliant registration system that did not verify whether the user was located within the United States. The complaint further contends that AT&T connected to employ this system even with the knowledge that it facilitated use of IP Relay by fraudulent foreign callers, which accounted for up to 95 percent of AT&T'south call volume. The government's complaint alleges that AT&T improperly billed the TRS Fund for reimbursement of these calls and received millions of dollars in federal payments every bit a result."^[xviii]

References [edit]

^ (FCC) (2015-01-28). "Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)". Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Guide. Federal Communications Commission. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2014-10-19. Retrieved 2015-02-01 .
^ (Hamilton Telecommunication) (2006-11-xvi). "Hamilton Relay - TTY (Text Phone)". Hamilton Relay. Hamilton Relay. p. ane. Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2007-02-01 . Communication Assistant (CA)
^ (MCI) (2006-08-24). "Verizon Relay Services". Verizon Global Relay Services. Verizon. p. one. Archived from the original on 2007-06-22. Retrieved 2007-02-01 . Relay Operator (RO)
^ (Sprint) (2006-05-28). "New Zealand Relay". New Zealand Relay. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2007-02-01 . Relay Banana (RA)
^ Verizon information brochure GT016707SS-WS
^ (GSA) (2004-10-27). "www.federalrelay.us". U.S. General Services Administration. p. ane. Archived from the original on 2007-08-x. Retrieved 2007-02-01 .
^ (Ultratec) (2005-03-16). "CapTel - The Captioned Telephone". Ultratec, Inc. p. one. Archived from the original on 2007-02-03. Retrieved 2007-01-29 . Alt URL
^ (Ultratec) (2006-05-08). "CapTel - WebCapTel". Ultratec, Inc. p. ane. Retrieved 2007-01-29 .
^ "711 for Telecommunications Relay Service". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2015. {{cite spider web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ "FCC MANDATES NATIONWIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF 711 Admission TO Telecommunications RELAY SERVICES (TRS)". U.S. Federal Communications Commission. July 21, 2000. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
^ "Disability Access REQUIREMENTS EXTENDED TO VOIP SERVICES" (PDF). U.Southward. Federal Communications Commission. May 31, 2007. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
^ "MSN | Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, Breaking News, and Latest Videos". Archived from the original on 2012-11-04.
^ Edward Erickson Jr. (May v, 2004). "After News Reports Reveal Widespread Fraud by Users of IP Relay Systems for the Deaf, Companies Mull Changes to the Arrangement". Urban center Paper. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. {{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ http://www.fraudwatchers.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-4475.html
^ "IP Relay Fraud". 6 May 2011.
^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-58A1.dr.
^ TRS History Docket
^ "United States Files Lawsuit Against AT&T in Telecommunications Relay Services Fraud Case". 22 March 2012.

External links [edit]

CapTel
FCC Consumer Facts
"How to buy a CapTel phone" - Feb 9th, 2009
"Hamilton WebCapTel" - February 9th, 2009
"Sprint WebCapTel" - February 9th, 2009