OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC is asking Canadians to weigh in on the country’s message relay services to help it determine whether its policies are meeting users’ needs.
Teletypewriter (TTY) and Internet protocol (IP) relay services, together called message relay services, provide a means of communication to people who are Deaf or hard of hearing and people with speech disabilities.
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, hard of hearing, or 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 computer, laptop or wireless device connected to the Internet. The person without a disability dials a toll-free number to reach the relay operator.
The online discussion, available now through June 29, is geared towards Canadians who use or have used this service. The Commission said Tuesday that it is specifically seeking opinions on the following subjects:
– their knowledge of relay services;
– wait time and quality of these services;
