Free DIRECT download: 5 ways to communicate without an internet connection (patient handout). (Email subscribers get free access to all the resources in the Free Subscription Library.)
If you have trouble hearing on the phone and you don’t have a high-speed internet connection (or digital cable), then read on to learn 5 ways you can use the telephone.
If you do have high-speed internet (not dial-up), then here are 6 free internet-based telephone relay services that can help if you have trouble hearing on the phone. I’ve also written about how you can add video or text to phone calls to improve communication if you have a speech or hearing problem.
Here is what I cover in this post:
- Free telephone relay service.
- Free directory assistance with call completion.
- You may qualify for free or discounted equipment.
- 5 ways to communicate with a traditional phone line.
- For additional help.
- Please share this information.
Free telephone relay service
Every state operates a free telephone relay service for people who have difficulty communicating over a standard telephone. I’ve written an overview of 6 ways you can communicate by phone if you have a speech impairment. I’ve also written in more depth about Speech-to-Speech (STS) relay. Many states offer service in both English and Spanish. Some states offer English-Spanish translation.
You or someone calling you may reach these services by dialing “7-1-1” from anywhere in the country. Relay service is free (long-distance fees may apply, depending on your phone plan). The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are no limits to how many calls you place or on how long the calls can be. You can call just about anywhere in the world.
Many states have a contract with Sprint to run the state program. Other states have a contract with Hamilton Relay to run the program. In addition, Sprint offers a national relay service which can be used by anyone in the country. Their website does a good job of explaining the programs. You may find that one service is more convenient to use than the other, or has better features for you.
You must have already have telephone service in your home in order to use the telephone relay service. Your plan’s rates and fees apply. For example, if you don’t have free long-distance as part of your telephone service plan, then any long-distance calls you make would have a charge (unless toll-free). Otherwise, there is no fee to you or to the person on the other end of the call.
Free directory assistance with call completion
Sprint offers free directory assistance to people who have a qualifying limitation in their ability to use the telephone. The directory assistance includes placing the call for you.
You may qualify for free or discounted equipment
If you have a hearing loss, and you do not have high-speed internet service (or digital cable), then you must use special equipment. Every state has a program that offers free or low-cost solutions to people who have difficulty communicating over the telephone. You may qualify for a free or low-cost special telephone from your state, if a medical provider certifies that you have a hearing loss. I will write about options if you have high-speed internet in next week’s post.
You also have the option to buy your own equipment. As with any type of electronic device, the price can be low for basic features and increases for additional features. If you want to buy your own equipment, you can look in stores that sell telephones or electronics or search online.
5 ways to communicate with a traditional phone line
- Amplified telephone.
- Voice carry over (VCO) relay service.
- Text telephone (TTY).
- Captioned telephone (CapTel 840).
- Deaf-Blind TeleBraille telephone.
Amplified telephone
If you have a mild to moderate hearing impairment, an amplified telephone and a few tips may solve your problem. An amplified telephone allows you to turn the volume up louder than a normal telephone does. It also improves the quality of high-pitch sounds, which helps to make speech more understandable. These phones can be used by someone with normal hearing as well.
Paul Dybala, Ph.D., writes about amplifiers that you can attach to your existing phone. An in-line amplifier is attached to a single phone, while a portable amplifier attaches to the headset. He points out that your hearing aids may have a special “telecoil” setting that will allow your hearing aids to only pick up sounds coming through the phone.
On an amplified phone, you make and accept phone calls just as you do with a standard phone.
Voice carry over (VCO) telephone
If an amplified telephone isn’t enough to allow easy conversation, then a VCO telephone may work with VCO relay service. In this case, you use a telephone that includes a full keyboard. You speak normally over the telephone handset to the other person on the call and the other person speaks normally as well.
The difference is that there is a third person on the call, called a relay operator. The relay operator types what the other person says so that you can read a transcript on the screen of the VCO telephone.
The video below explains how it works and demonstrates with a VCO telephone call.
According to Wikipedia, there are different types of VCO telephones. VCO with privacy means that the relay operator will not hear what the VCO user says. With two-line VCO, you can listen to the other person on the call as well as read the transcript typed by the relay operator.
Text telephone (TTY)
If you’re not able to hear on the telephone and your speech is not clear (or you don’t want to pick up and put down the telephone handset with each turn in the conversation), then a text telephone (TTY) may be right for you.
To use a TTY, you simply type your messages and read the responses. A relay operator will read what you type to the other person on the call and then type what the other person says so that you can read the transcript.
The video below shows how a TTY user makes a telephone call, and how someone using a standard telephone can call a TTY user.
Captioned telephone (CapTel 840)
CapTel offers one model of telephone that doesn’t require an internet connection or digital cable, the CapTel 840 captioned telephone. You can listen to the other person and read the captions at the same time. Your messages are also appear in print.
You make and answer calls in the same way you do with a standard telephone. When you make a call, the captioning automatically appears on your screen. When someone calls you, in order for the captioning to work, they’d have to dial the number for the service and then enter your phone number. If you paid for two phone lines, the person would call you directly and the captioning would automatically appear.
CapTel telephones are made by Ultratec and sold by vendors such as Weitbrecht and CapTel. Many states lend free CapTel telephones or offer them at a discount.
Deaf-Blind TeleBraille telephone
If you are blind or have low vision in addition to being Deaf or very hard-of-hearing, you may wish to use a TeleBraille telephone with the TeleBraille service.
This device is similar to TTY, except that it has a Braille keyboard and screen. A person who can’t hear well enough to use a standard phone and who can’t see well enough to read large-print text can use TeleBraille to communicate, as long as they know how to read and write in Braille.
Additional help
The Hearing Loss Association of America has set up an email help center, run by graduate level audiology students from the University of Washington and Gallaudet University. The service is called HAT HELP. HAT stands for Hearing Assistive Technology refers to any device that helps someone who is hard of hearing or deaf to function better. Just send an email to hat_help@hearingloss.org and someone will answer your questions.
Hearing Loss Association of America provides a list of state programs that belong to TEDPA (Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program Association).
National Association of the Deaf provides information about technology for people who are hard of hearing or Deaf.
Please share this information
The chances are pretty high that we each know or will meet someone who has a hearing problem. Many people aren’t aware of these free relay services. Please share this information!
Free DIRECT download: 5 ways to communicate without an internet connection (patient handout). (Email subscribers get free access to all the resources in the Free Subscription Library.)
Featured photo by Pavan Trikutam on Unsplash
Lisa earned her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Maryland, College Park and her M.A. in Linguistics from the University of California, San Diego.
She participated in research studies with the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and the University of Maryland in the areas of aphasia, Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy, and fluency disorders.
Lisa has been working as a medical speech-language pathologist since 2008. She has a strong passion for evidence-based assessment and therapy, having earned five ASHA Awards for Professional Participation in Continuing Education.
She launched EatSpeakThink.com in June 2018 to help other clinicians be more successful working in home health, as well as to provide strategies and resources to people living with problems eating, speaking, or thinking.
Hi, I signed up for a caption call phone for my mother in law who is almost completely deaf. I has never worked. We call customer Service, reset it and stops working about an hour later. This has happened more than 10 times. They blame it on our internet that has 250 mg and the phone is the only item connected to it
Can we switch service to your company?
Hi Tammy,
I’m sorry you’re having trouble with your phone. I don’t have a company, and I don’t work for a telecommunications company. I’m simply sharing information in the hopes that it will be helpful.
CapTel offers one model of telephone that doesn’t require an internet connection or digital cable, the CapTel 840 captioned telephone. Is that the model you’re using? It doesn’t require the internet, so slow internet shouldn’t affect its performance (if I understand correctly).
Iam trying to get service for someone who is completely deaf. I dont know where to begin. Do i get a land line? They have Internet wifi and thats it .
Hi Rachel, have you asked that person which option they think would work best for them? Since they have access to the internet, you might find better options here: https://eatspeakthink.com/6-free-internet-based-telephone-relay-services-if-you-have-trouble-hearing/
PS Apologies for the delayed reply. For some reason, I’m just seeing your message today.