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Nationwide computer service is new way to phone - Herndon, VA — July 08,
2002
Relay services allow the deaf and hard-of-hearing to communicate readily
with the hearing population through an operator intermediary. A relay call
can now be made from a computer at home or work; anywhere an Internet
connection exists. And compared with a TTY device, that conversation can
be customized for a more personalized communications experience.
"With our Internet relay service, a TTY unit is not a necessity for making
a relay call," explained Tony D'Agata, vice president, Sprint's Government
System Division. "Another advantage is the absence of Internet call toll
charges. Customers on the go can connect a laptop to payphones or hotel
lines and call online, enjoying their mobility and freedom from additional
devices."
Users simply dial their Internet service provider (ISP) to access
http://www.sprintrelayonline.com. Once there, operator instruction can
be given on a call set-up page to ask for a specific person, to type
slowly, or select service announcement options, among others. The web
application connects the user with a relay agent who dials and facilitates
the intended call. The dialog can be seen as a split computer screen
image; one side for the caller text and the other for the operator relay
of the called party's response. Call transcripts can be saved or printed.
Internet relay calls are highly interactive. Screen text size and color
can be specified for both the caller and operator screens. Macro buttons
-- GA (go ahead), SK (stop keying) and PLS HOLD -- are part of the
application. As a further innovation, American Sign Language (ASL) emotion
icons -- or e-moticons -- are available to direct the operator's tone of
voice and inflection. Currently, seven symbols for a range of feelings
help to make live conversation as expressive and realistic as possible.
Spanish and French Creole language options are available. Other features
include connection status (connecting, disconnected, busy, ready) and male
or female operator specification.
The service also accommodates the hard-of-hearing (HOH) that wish to speak
for themselves, thanks to a capability called Two-line Voice Carry Over.
The user connects with Sprint Relay Online via computer to call his/her
standard phone. With three-way calling conference capability, the Internet
relay user will then conference in the relay operator and the hearing
party. The HOH user speaks directly to the called party while reading the
typed responses online generated by the Internet relay operator.
Sprint Relay Online service is available 24 hours a day. Users need a
computer, phone line connection, web browser such as Microsoft Internet
Explorer v4.0 or Netscape Communicator v4.78, and Internet service. Relay
calls over the Internet do not incur toll charges.
Sprint network reliability leads the industry. In 2001, for the sixth
consecutive year, Sprint's long distance network has been the highest
quality network among major carriers according to fewest Federal
Communications Commission-reportable outages.
Sprint is the nation's leading provider of telecommunications relay
services (TRS) with over a decade of experience. The U.S. government, 27
states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico currently rely on Sprint to
operate 10 relay centers and offer the power of communications many take
for granted to a population that otherwise would be isolated. Relay
services in each state were mandated by the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 and are paid for by all local phone customers through state
fees included on monthly bills. Additional information is found at
http://www.sprintbiz.com/government/sprint_relay/.
About Sprint
Sprint is a global communications company serving more than 26 million
business and residential customers in over 70 countries. With
approximately 80,000 employees worldwide and more than $26 billion in
annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering
and deploying state of the art network technologies, including the United
States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network. Sprint's
award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone is being extended to key global
markets to provide customers with a broad portfolio of scalable IP
products. Sprint's high-capacity, high-speed network gives customers fast,
dependable, nonstop access to the vast majority of the world's Internet
content. Sprint also operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide
PCS wireless network in the United States, already serving the majority of
the nation's metropolitan areas, including more than 4,000 cities and
communities. |
