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Relay Connecticut is a telecommunications relay service, providing full
telephone accessibility to people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled. Specially trained Communication Assistants
(CAs) complete all calls and stay on-line to relay messages electronically over a text telephone (TT), so called TTY for "Teletype",
or verbally to hearing parties.
Relay Connecticut is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no restrictions
on the length or number of calls placed. This valuable communications tool gives all individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing
or speech disabled the opportunity to make personal and business calls just like any other telephone user.
Relay Connecticut
1-800-842-9710 (TTY)
1-800-833-8134 (VOICE)
711 (TTY or VOICE)
Relay Connecticut Customer Service
1-800-676-3777
(TTY/VOICE)
HOW DO YOU USE RELAY SERVICE?
What equipment is required?
The most common device used to make
a relay call is a TTY (text telephone device) that can be used together with a phone handset. However, the equipment you need
may vary depending upon the type of relay service you use. For more information on how to obtain a device in your area for
your specific needs, call Relay Connecticut Customer Service at 1-800-676-3777.
Billing preference
There is no
charge for using Relay Connecticut within your local calling area. Long distance call rates are determined by the carrier
of choice. Relay Connecticut long distance calls are billed at a reduced rate. Relay Connecticut gives you a number of billing
options when you place intrastate, interstate, or international calls. Please notify the Communication Assistant of your preferred
billing option: direct; collect; third party; Sprint FONCARD(SM); local exchange carrier (LEC) calling card; other long distance
calling card; or prepaid phone card.
SERVICES OFFERED
For TTY Users
A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing,
deaf-blind, or speech-disabled uses a TTY to type his/her conversation to a Communication Assistant (CA), who then reads the
typed conversation to a hearing person. The CA relays the hearing person's spoken words by typing them back to the TTY user.
For Voice Users
Standard telephone users can easily initiate calls to TTY users. The Communication Assistant types
the hearing person's spoken words to the TTY user and reads back the typed replies.
For Hearing Carryover Users
Hearing
Carryover (HCO) allows speech- disabled users with hearing to listen to the person they are calling. The HCO user types his/her
conversation for the CA to read to the standard telephone user.
For Voice Carryover Users
Voice Carryover (VCO) allows
hard-of-hearing users to speak directly to a hearing person. When the hearing person speaks to you, a CA will serve as your
"ears" and type everything said to you on a TTY or text display.
Computer (ASCII) Call Processing
Computer users can
also access Relay Connecticut directly. Set your communications software to the following protocols at speeds ranging from
300 to 2400 baud: (Note: It may be helpful to set your "time out" to 100 seconds.)
International Calling
Relay Connecticut
allows you to place and receive calls to and from anywhere in the world (using English or Spanish language only). Calls originating
from a country outside of the US may also access Sprint Relay via 1-605-224-1837.
TTY Public Payphones
The Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) issued an order outlining an interim plan for access to public payphone service through relay
services.
Directory Assistance
Relay Connecticut will relay Directory Assistance (DA) calls between TTY users and
the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) DA operator. Once the caller makes the request, the CA will contact the appropriate LEC DA
operator. After obtaining the number, the caller may choose to place the call through Relay Connecticut or dial it directly
TTY to TTY.
Spanish relay service
Relay Connecticut now offers Spanish relay service. TTY users can type in Spanish
and the conversations will be relayed in Spanish. To request Spanish relay, type in the area code and telephone number and
then "SPANISH TO SPANISH GA." Also, Spanish to English Translation is offered.
Answering machine retrieval
TTY users
can request Relay Connecticut to retrieve messages from their voice answering machines or voicemail.
ADDITIONAL RELAY
FEATURES
VCO with privacy
This is similar to the standard VCO feature. However, the CA will not hear the caller speaking
through Relay Connecticut, and only type voiced responses back to the VCO user.
Two-Line VCO
Two-line VCO allows a
customer with two telephone lines to use one line for speaking directly to a hearing person while the other line is used to
receive the hearing person's typed responses at the same time. This feature provides a more natural flow of conversation without
the pauses of single-line calls.
VCO to TTY
The CA will only type what you say to the TTY user you are calling. Whatever
the TTY user types will go directly to your TTY or text display equipment for you to read. "GA" is needed for this type of
call.
VCO to VCO
The CA will serve as both parties' "ears" and type not only what you say to your party but also what
is said to you. "GA" is needed for this type of call.
HCO to TTY
HCO users can listen while the CA is reading/voicing
the TTY user's typed message. The HCO user types his/her conversation directly to the TTY user.
HCO to HCO
HCO users
can contact other HCO users through Relay Connecticut. The CA will voice to both parties what is typed on each user's TTY.
Emergency
In case of emergency, TTY users should call the TTY-equipped 9-1-1 Center or emergency services center
in their community. All customers should verify the emergency phone numbers for TTY calls in their area. Calls placed directly
and immediately to the local TTY emergency number can save valuable time in urgent situations. For more information on how
to obtain emergency numbers in your area, call Relay Connecticut Customer Service at 1-800-676-3777.
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