Telecommunications Relay Services

Telecommunications Relay Service

Important Information Regarding State Relay Services

Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) allow persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have speech disabilities to communicate by telephone in a manner that is functionally equivalent to telephone services used by persons without such disabilities. TRS is available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all other U.S. territories for local, long distance, and international calls.

Each state has its own Relay Service, which is a public service that guarantees all citizens access to prompt, professional and precise communication through the telephone.

Consumers of these specialized services, specifically individuals who are deaf, DeafBlind, hard of hearing or have difficulty speaking, can communicate on the telephone via TTY, Voice Carry Over (VCO), Hearing Carry Over (HCO), Speech-to-Speech (STS), Spanish-to-Spanish and Captioned Telephone. This helps ensure the ability to connect with family, friends or businesses with ease.  711 provides toll-free access to relay services.  For more information on relay services, please visit the relay service website in your state listed below.

More information on TRS can be found on the Federal Communications Commission’s informative website on TRS.

Please click on the links below to learn more about specific state TRS programs: