FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What is Relay Utah?
Relay Utah, serving Utah since 1988, is a free speech translation service to facilitate communication between Utah’s hard of hearing, deaf and speech-disabled communities and to help these communities communicate more independently with the hearing community.
Relay Utah also provides access to hearing assistive equipment and telephone relay translation services, through Sprint, to provide these individuals more efficient communication.

2. How do I use Relay Utah?
Using Relay Utah’s toll-free, in-state 7-1-1 or Spanish-language 888-346-3162 phone numbers, a individual can easily place a call and communicate with another individual who is hearing- or speech-impaired over the telephone.

Relay Utah has partnered with Sprint to answer the calls coming into these numbers. When a caller dials a Relay Utah number, they will provide the Communications Assistant (CA) with the name and phone number of the individual he or she would like to reach. The CA then contacts the desired individual and translates or “relays” the conversation between a caller by typing a voice caller’s message to the receiving party’s text telephone, or TTY, or reads the TTY caller’s message to the party using a standard voice telephone.
Is there a time limit on how long a call can last?
There is no time limit on the calls; the CA will relay the conversation until the parties desire to terminate the conversation.

3. Is the Relay Utah service free?
Calls placed through Relay Utah’s 7-1-1 and 888-346-3162 phone number are free to all Utahans.

4. Can someone out of state call 7-1-1 to reach me?
Because each state is assigned its own toll-free, in-state Relay number, people outside of Utah may not place a call through 7-1-1. Individuals outside of Utah should contact their state’s Relay office to determine the toll-free Relay number appointed to their location.

5. Is the Relay Service offered for languages other than English and Spanish?
At this time, Relay Utah offers only English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English translation services as part of its Spanish Relay service. However, Relay continuously assesses the needs of Utahans who are deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disabled in an effort to provide them with a range of quality telecommunications services.

6. Does Relay Utah offer other services?
Individuals who qualify for Public Assistance and who meet specified guidelines are eligible for hearing assistive equipment with no out-of-pocket costs. See the specific qualification guidelines listed on www.relayutah.gov. Those who are not eligible for subsidized equipment but want to purchase Relay equipment can contact the Utah Deaf Center (UAD). All workers at the UAD bookstore are deaf. Callers can dial 7-1-1 and then the number 801-288-2159.

7. What are the eligibility requirements for Relay Utah products and services?
Individuals who qualify for Public Assistance and who meet specified guidelines are eligible for Relay Utah equipment. Click here for eligibility requirements.

8. Where can I purchase Relay Utah products?
Individuals who are not eligible for subsidized hearing and communication assistive equipment, but who are looking to purchase Relay equipment can contact the Utah Deaf Center (UAD). All workers at the UAD bookstore are deaf. Callers can dial 7-1-1 and then the number 801-288-2159.

9. What products are available for the hard of hearing?
Amplified Telephones, and Voice carry-over (VCO) Telephones that has the features of both a standard telephone and a TTY. VCO users can speak directly into the phone and the Relay Communications Assistant (CA) then types the response from the called party back to the VCO caller so they can read it on the phone’s text display.

CapTel Telephones, scheduled for introduction in during fall of 2003, provide both an amplified phone and TTY in a single unit. The user has the option to both carry on a voice conversation and read a captioned version of the conversation which becomes of aid if part of the conversation is not heard.

10. What products and services are available for Utah’s deaf and those who have difficulty with speech?
Text Telephones, or TTYs, that have a keyboard to type messages and an LCD display that displays incoming typed messages

Hearing Carry Over (HCO) Telephones designed for individuals who can hear but who are speech disabled. HCO users type their messages on the phone’s keyboard, which is then voiced by the Relay Communications Assistant (CA) to the other party. The HCO user hears the other person’s voice as in a standard telephone conversation.

Video Relay Service (VRS) makes it possible for individuals communicating in American Sign Language (ASL) to more easily communicate with a hearing individual. Using a high speed Internet connection and a video camera, an individual using ASL contacts a Communications Assistant (CA) who can view the individual who is signing. The CA then interprets the sign language and relays, by voice, the message being signed to the other party.