Upgrading text relay services to benefit disabled consumers

Ofcom has revealed details of moves to improve communications services for people with hearing and speech impairments.

The independent regulator is proposing that all UK landline and mobile providers give their customers access to a next generation ‘text relay’ service approved by Ofcom.

Text relay services enable people with hearing and/or speech impairments to communicate with others through telephone or textphone equipment. Under the current system, a relay assistant acts as an intermediary to convert speech to text and vice versa for the two parties. Ofcom research has found that these conversations can be slow and sometimes fail to flow naturally.

The proposed new services would be faster and accessible via the internet through PCs, laptops, tablet computers and smartphones. 

Ofcom intends to consult on proposals on video-based relay services later this year. In the meantime, it is working with the government and disability groups to encourage the provision of video relay services by communications providers and other organisations and businesses voluntarily.