I just got the news that my regular Relay Service I use to make calls (ip-relay.com) will be shutting down on November 14th due to changes in FCC Codes. (For an explanation of Relay Service check out my old post).
This is disheartening since I have poor vision I opt to use text relay instead of video relay
There's only one Internet Relay Provider left and that's through Sprint.. I could go back to using Video Relay but I haven't used one in many years and do not know which provider is better.
I could also use my CapTel phone which works like a standard phone but has a screen for a relay operator to type out the other person's conversation. Because of this there's an "unnatural" delay as I wait for the captions to appear and understand what's being said. So even after explaining to the caller about my phone and my "deaf accent" I still get a lot of hangups. Some days I get phone phobia and just rather not deal with any phone calls at all. Don't get me started on Government directories! By the time I find out what Option 1, 2 and 3 are, they've hung up!
It would be so much easier if there were more:
I guess I'll have to keep researching video relay companies to find which is a good fit for me.
Til then...I'm not answering the phone!
Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon
This is disheartening since I have poor vision I opt to use text relay instead of video relay
There's only one Internet Relay Provider left and that's through Sprint.. I could go back to using Video Relay but I haven't used one in many years and do not know which provider is better.
I could also use my CapTel phone which works like a standard phone but has a screen for a relay operator to type out the other person's conversation. Because of this there's an "unnatural" delay as I wait for the captions to appear and understand what's being said. So even after explaining to the caller about my phone and my "deaf accent" I still get a lot of hangups. Some days I get phone phobia and just rather not deal with any phone calls at all. Don't get me started on Government directories! By the time I find out what Option 1, 2 and 3 are, they've hung up!
It would be so much easier if there were more:
- Pop up Live Chats on Company Websites
- Directed Corporate e-mail service to go directly to the right department. I finally got an e-mail reply to a question I sent....a year ago!
- Listings of Telephone Option Directories, so you can find out what buttons you'll need to push before you start the phone call.
- Updated Technology at Companies, they've got dedicated "TTY" phone numbers for Deaf users, but I can't remember the last time I've used one!
- Patient people!
I guess I'll have to keep researching video relay companies to find which is a good fit for me.
Til then...I'm not answering the phone!
Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon
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