Relay North Carolina

 

 

This service provides telephone accessibility to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-disabled. It is designed so that anyone can pick up the phone and make a call. The person needing the service calls a special phone number and is connected to a trained Relay operator. The operator facilitates the call using the Relay preference you indicate (see below for the options). It is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no restrictions on the number of calls or on their length.

There is no charge for using Relay North Carolina within your local calling area. Long-distance call rates are determined by the carrier of choice. Currently, Sprint is the contracted provider of the service. Sprint long-distance calls are billed at a reduced rate.

Relay North Carolina is administrated by the Department of Health and Human Services - North Carolina Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. It is part of the Telecommunications Access of North Carolina (TANC) program (919-733-2974). It was established by the NC General Assembly in 1989.

 

Text Phone
 Special equipment is needed to make a Relay call. The most common telephone device used to make a Relay call is a TTY or text telephone. North Carolina residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, or speech disabled are eligible to receive TTY equipment through the NC Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program at no charge if they qualify based on income restrictions. Contact the Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing at 1-800-999-5737 for more information.

 

 

The NC Department of Health and Human Services, in cooperation with Sprint Relay, is offering free equipment to qualified individuals.

The number for Relay North Carolina is 1-877-735-8260.

For TTY or Text Telephone Users
With this option, the person uses a TTY to type his or her conversation to a Relay operator who then reads the typed conversation to a hearing person. The Relay operator relays the hearing person's spoken words by typing them back to the TTY user.

For Voice Users
With this option, standard telephone users can initiate calls to TTY users. The Relay operator types the hearing person's spoken words to the TTY user and reads back the typed replies.

For Hearing Carry-Over Users
Hearing Carry-Over (HCO) allows speech-disabled users with hearing to listen to the person they are calling. The HCO user types his or her conversation for the Relay operator to read to the standard telephone user.

HCO to TTY
The HCO user types his or her conversation directly to the TTY user and can listen while the Relay operator is reading the TTY user's typed message.

HCO to HCO
With this option, the Relay operator reads to both parties what is typed on each user's TTY.

For Voice Carry-Over Users
Voice Carry Over (VCO) allows hard-of-hearing users to speak directly to a hearing person. When the hearing person speaks, a Relay operator types everything said. For more information on this program, call 1-800-676-3777. A special VCO phone is needed.

VCO to Voice
With this option, the deaf or hard-of-hearing person speaks directly to the hearing person. The Relay operator types what the hearing person says.

VCO to VCO
With this option, the Relay operator types what each person says. This is a good option for those people who don't wish to or can't type.

VCO to TTY
With this option, the Relay operator will type what the VCO user says to the TTY user. Whatever the TTY user types will go directly to the VCO user's TTY or text display equipment.

Two-Line VCO
The voice line must have conference or three-way calling capability. This allows a person with two telephone lines to use one line to speak directly to a hearing person and the other line to simultaneously read the hearing person's typed responses.

VCO to HCO
With this option, the VCO user speaks directly to the HCO user. The HCO user's typed responses are sent directly to the VCO user.

For Speech-to-Speech Users
With this option, Relay operators serve as the speech-disabled user's voice and repeat his or her responses to the called party.

Spanish Accessibility
TTY users can type in Spanish and their conversations will be relayed in Spanish to the called party. TTY users can also request Spanish to English or English to Spanish translations. Call 1-888-825-2448 for this service.

Emergencies
In case of emergency, Relay users can call the TTY-equipped 911 center.

Directory Assistance
Directory Assistance is available. The Relay operator will contact the appropriate operator and obtain the number. The caller may choose to place the call through the Relay operator or dial it directly.

Voice Mail
Relay North Carolina offers the opportunity for those who want it to have Voice Mail retrieval.

 

Relay North Carolina Numbers

711 (voice and text only)
1-800-735-2962 TTY
1-877-735-8200 Voice
1-888-762-2724 For Computer Access
1-877-735-8260 VCO
1-877-735-8261 Speech-to-Speech
1-888-825-2448 Spanish
1-900-230-3300 TTY 900 Services
1-800-676-3777 Customer Service

 

Contact Customer Service by e-mail.

 

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