Starting June 1, Three-Digit Number Reaches Service for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing
and Speech-Impaired Customers
NEW YORK, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting June 1, it will be easier for
Bell Atlantic's New York customers to reach the state's Relay Service. All
they'll need to do is dial three digits -- 7-1-1.
Relay Service allows people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-
impaired and who use text telephones (TTYs) to communicate with people using
standard telephones. The New York Relay Service is operated jointly by Bell
Atlantic and all telephone companies operating in the state.
The announcement of the new 7-1-1 capability was made today at Bell
Atlantic's Eighth Annual Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Awareness Day, held at the
company's headquarters in Manhattan.
New York joins only six other states with 7-1-1 dialing for relay service.
In other states, residents and businesses must dial an 11-digit, toll-free
number. Every state in Bell Atlantic's Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions
will have three-digit access to relay service by the end of the year.
Calls made using relay service are answered by operators. These operators
connect a person using a TTY with a standard phone user. Similarly, standard
phone users rely on the relay service to call friends, relatives, business
associates and others who communicate with a TTY.
A New York relay operator "relays" the conversation between the two
calling parties. The relay operator is trained to help conversations flow
accurately and with ease, and all calls are handled with the strictest
confidentiality. There is no limit on the number of times someone can use the
service, which is available free of charge 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The current New York relay numbers, 1-800-662-1220 for TTY calls and 1-
800-421-1220 for voice calls, will continue to be available for calls within
the state.
This initiative is further evidence of Bell Atlantic's long-standing
national leadership in developing innovative solutions for the deaf and hard-
of-hearing communities.
Policies on telephone services for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers vary
across the country. The deaf and hard-of-hearing communities have asked for a
simpler way to access telecommunications relay services, and the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) has reserved the 7-1-1 three-digit number for
that purpose. Now, the FCC is examining setting national guidelines governing
the implementation of the service.
For more information about the New York Relay Service and 7-1-1, customers
may call the Relay Inquiry Line on 1-800-664-6349 (voice) or 1-800-835-5515
(TTY).
Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 44 million telephone access lines and
more than 20 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are
premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders
in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory
information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest
investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and
investments in 23 countries.
INTERNET USERS: Bell Atlantic news releases, executive speeches, news
media contacts and other useful information are available at Bell Atlantic's
News Center on the World Wide Web (http://www.ba.com). To receive news
releases by email, visit the News Center and register for personalized
automatic delivery of Bell Atlantic news releases.
SOURCE Bell Atlantic
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Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/618232.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 618232
CONTACT:
John Bonomo, Downstate NY, 212-395-7756,
John.J.Bonomo@BellAtlantic.com, or Cliff Lee, Upstate NY,
518-396-1095, Clifford.P.Lee@BellAtlantic.com, both of Bell
Atlantic
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