Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about our services. Still have a question? Feel free to contact us

Q: What is the cost to use your services?
A: All of our services are free to those who are deaf or hard of hearing. All the costs are funded by FCC.

Q: What hours are your services available?
A: FreeRelay, PhoneCaption, and AmericanVRS ares available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are no limits on the length of your calls or how many calls you make.

Q: Can I Place a 911 call?
A: As of Dec 31st 2008, all IP RELAY and VRS callers must have their own 10 digit number to enable us to route the calls to the appropriate 911 centers. We request that your register yourself to get your own 10 digit number so that we can assist you better. This is a requirement from FCC. We recommend that you use a TTY to dial 911 directly in case of captioned calls. If that is not possible, please provide the Communications Assistant with the address, city and state of the emergency. We will look up the local emergency number for your area and attempt to contact them on your behalf.

Q: Can I tell others about this service?
A: Absolutely! We also welcome businesses and organizations to partner with us in our outreach efforts to educate and create awareness of this service.

Q: Can I make a 1-900 call?
A: We do not provide access to pay-per-call services. If you wish to make a pay call, please dial your state relay operator for assistance.

Q: What are some of the basic rules of etiquette for making or receiving a relay call?
A1. It is polite to identify yourself at the beginning of the call.

A2. Communication Assistants are not permitted to engage in conversations unless it is for specific call processing reasons (i.e. requesting a number to dial, providing status on a call, etc.)

A3. On Relay calling, it is customary to be familiar with and/or use standard abbreviations such as GA (Go Ahead) and SK (Stop Keying). You must always type GA when you are finished typing in order for the relay operator to begin.

Q: What do I need to make a call?
A: For relay and caption calling, you need to be connected to the Internet and have the Java plug in installed on your computer. Video relay calling requires a videophone as well. Please check appropriate service websites http://www.PhoneCaption.com, http://www.FreeRelay.com or http://www.AmericanVRS.com to understand more about each service offerings.

Q: Are my calls confidential?
A: All calls are kept strictly confidential. By law, no relay employee can share ANY information from a relay, caption, or video conversation. There are NO records/documents/recordings of any relay conversation.