CRTC staff launches online discussion on message relay services

CRTC staff launches online discussion on message relay services

OTTAWA and GATINEAU, QC, June 9, 2015 /CNW/ - Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) staff invites Canadians to join an online discussion about teletypewriter (TTY) and Internet protocol (IP) relay services, together called message relay services. The discussion will help the CRTC determine whether its policies on relay services meet Canadians' needs.

Relay services provide a means of communication to people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people with speech disabilities. In 2013, over 874,500 Canadians reported having a hearing impairment.

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 with a hearing impairment or 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 device connected to the Internet (such as a computer, laptop or wireless device). The person without a disability dials a toll-free number to reach the relay operator.

This discussion is an opportunity for Canadians who use or have used this service to share their experience.

From now until June 29, 2015, Canadians are invited to share their opinions on the following subjects:


-- their knowledge of relay services;
-- wait time and quality of these services;
-- reliability of these services; and
-- technology used.
Quick facts


-- The CRTC staff is launching an online discussion about relay services
from June 9 to 29, 2015.
-- The CRTC staff is encouraging people who use or have used teletypewriter
relay and Internet protocol relay services to participate in the online
discussion.
-- The CRTC staff wants to know whether relay services are meeting
Canadians' needs.
Quotation
"CRTC staff is launching this initiative to get feedback from people who use or have used relay services. This online discussion will help us determine whether relay services are meeting Canadians' needs."

Barbara Motzney, Chief Consumer Officer

Related links
Message Relay Service discussion forum landing page

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SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

CONTACT: Media relations: Tel.: 819-997-9403, Fax: 819-997-4245; General inquiries: Tel.: 819-997-0313, TDD: 819-994-0423, Fax: 819-994-0218, Toll-free no.: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), TDD - Toll-free no.: 1-877-909-CRTC (2782)

Web Site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca


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