CRTC staff launches online discussion on message relay services

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) staff invites Canadians to join an online discussion about teletypewriter (TTY) and Internet protocol (IP) relay services, together called message relay services. The discussion will help the CRTC determine whether its policies on relay services meet Canadians’ needs.

Relay services provide a means of communication to people who are Deaf or hard of hearing and people with speech disabilities. In 2013, over 874,500 Canadians reported having a hearing impairment.

In a teletypewriter relay service call, the relay operator communicates with the person who has a hearing or speech disability via TTY (text) and with the person without a hearing or speech disability via voice.

A person who is Deaf or hard of hearing; or a person with a speech disability can also use an IP relay service. This is also a text-to-voice and voice-to-text relay service, and works using a device connected to the Internet (such as a computer, laptop or wireless device). The person without a disability dials a toll-free number to reach the relay operator.

This discussion is an opportunity for Canadians who use or have used this service to share their experience.

From now until June 29, 2015, Canadians are invited to share their opinions on the following subjects:

See more at – http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=985809