MARCH 2010

Telephone Relay Systems: Enabling Telephone Access 

for Customers & Employees

There are 28 million individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the U.S. 

Thousands of new cases of deafness occur each year, including veterans who return 

from war with hearing loss and those who lose hearing as part of the aging process. 

There are also a large number of people in the U.S. who have speech disabilities. 

Fortunately, technologies and services are available to facilitate telecommunication 

for persons with hearing or speech disabilities. One such service is a telephone 

relay system. 

What is a Telephone Relay System?

A telephone relay system is a service (usually offered by the telephone company) 

to foster communication between those who have communication difficulties and 

those who do not. Many different services exist to best fit the caller’s needs, with a 

common goal of tearing down communication barriers. 

Why should employers use and promote Telephone Relay Systems?

Employers can leverage telephone relay systems to enhance their businesses’ 

accessibility and to reach the often neglected customer base of individuals with 

hearing impairments. In addition, as the workforce ages and employees become 

more susceptible to hearing loss, employers who use these systems will be better 

positioned to retain experienced, qualified employees.

How does a Telephone Relay System work? 

In a telephone relay system, there is a third party on the telephone known as 

a Communication Assistant who serves as a go-between, relaying information 

between two callers using their preferred method of communication. 

PRoviding naTional leadeRSHiP on diSabiliTy emPloymenT

office of disability employment Policy, U.S. department of labor 1-866-odeP-dol (633-7365) TTy: 1-887-889-5627 www.dol.gov/odep

Page 1 of 2
TElEphonE RElAy SySTEmS: EnAbling TElEphonE ACCESS foR CuSTomERS & EmployEES

What does a Communication assistant (Ca) do? 

•	 When you are making a phone call – After you are connected with your 

local relay service, a CA dials the phone number of the person you wish to call. 

You speak on the telephone directly to the person who has a disability, and the 

CA turns your words into transcription or into American Sign Language. The 

customer or employee has special equipment that can receive the transcription 

or show a video feed of the CA interpreting your words into American Sign 

Language. The customer or employee receives this information in real-time and 

can respond to what you are saying. He or she may speak directly to you, may 

transcribe a response to you, or may use sign language to respond. The CA 

then reads the transcribed response to you or translates the signed response 

to you as needed. Some persons with speech disabilities may choose to speak 

their responses. In this situation, the CA, who is trained to comprehend 

difficult to understand speech patterns, facilitates communication by listening 

to the caller’s response and repeating to you what he or she says. 

•	 When a customer or employee is calling you – Telephone relay systems can 

also be used by customers or employees with disabilities to call your business. 

In this case, the CA dials your business’s telephone number and voices to you 

what the customer or employee is typing or signing. The CA then relays your 

response to the caller. 

How do i find my local Telephone Relay Service? 

Each state has its own access numbers which can be found online at: www.fcc.gov/

cgb/dro/trsphonebk.html or by dialing 711 on your telephone, which will automatically connect you to your nearest relay service provider. Many relay services are 

also available in Spanish. The majority of relay service providers are free to users, as 

providers receive reimbursement from the Federal Communication Commission.

PRoviding naTional leadeRSHiP on diSabiliTy emPloymenT

office of disability employment Policy, U.S. department of labor 1-866-odeP-dol (633-7365) TTy: 1-887-889-5627 www.dol.gov/odep

Page 2 of 2