Enhanced Quality of Life 

Relay services improve the quality of life for all citizens with a hearing loss or speech disability by

  • Ensuring ongoing telephone access for everyone
  • Increasing freedom and independence
  • Increasing privacy of communication
  • Increasing performance and productivity
  • Improving self-image
  • Improving safety and security

Increased Employability

Relay services increase the employability of disabled persons. Previously, many deaf individuals could not get certain jobs because they could not use the telephone. Relay services increase employment and promotional opportunities for both unemployed and currently employed individuals. By increasing these employment opportunities, relay services can help reduce welfare costs and increase the tax base.

Relay Service Increases Freedom

  • Keeping in touch with family, children and friends
  • Calling about an advertisement or job ad in the newspaper or on a website
  • Ordering a prescription refill at the drugstore or even ordering a pizza
  • Setting up appointments with professional service providers
  • Calling legislators to encourage support for pending legislation

Relay Service Increases Privacy

  • Calling the doctor’s office for test results
  • Calling the IRS with questions about tax returns
  • Calling a lawyer to discuss a confidential legal matter 

Relay Service Increases Independence

  • Eliminates relying on friends, co-workers or family to make telephone calls
  • Students can call teachers or other students to discuss homework
  • Consumers can make telephone credit card purchases from catalogs, stores, etc.

Relay Service Increases the Desire to Succeed

  • Technicians can call the office to check on parts availability
  • Contractors can call clients before going to the job site, avoiding wasted trips
  • Professionals can confer with clients and other professionals

Relay Service is for People who can Hear, too

  • Teachers can call and advise deaf or hard-of-hearing parents of their child’s performance
  • Family members, business associates and friends who use traditional phones are able to keep in contact with deaf or hard-of-hearing people without needing a TTY

Business Opportunities 

Relay services increase business opportunities by greatly enhancing accessibility to a largely untapped consumer market, thus increasing potential business revenues and collectable state tax dollars.