Video Relay Service

A short lesson

Video Relay Service (VRS) allows persons who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing to communicate through the telephone system with hearing persons.

The Deaf or hard-of-hearing caller uses a television or a computer and/or a video camera device and (generally) a broadband (high speed) Internet connection to contact a VRS communications assistant (CA), who is a qualified sign language interpreter.

The Deaf or hard-of-hearing person and the interpreter communicate with each other in sign language through an internet link. The interpreter then places a telephone call to the party the VRS user wishes to contact. The interpreter relays the conversation back and forth between the parties -- in sign language with the VRS user, and by voice with the called party. No typing or text is involved. A voice telephone user can also make a VRS call by calling a VRS center, usually through a toll-free number.

VRS is free to the caller. VRS providers are compensated for their costs from the Interstate TRS Fund, which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) oversees.

Benefits of VRS:

• VRS allows those persons whose primary language is ASL, to communicate in ASL, instead of having to type what they want to say.

• Because consumers using VRS communicate in sign language, they are able to more fully express themselves through facial expressions and body language, which cannot be expressed in text.

• A VRS call flows back and forth just like a telephone conversation between two hearing persons. For example, the parties can interrupt each other, which they cannot do with a text-based relay service call using a TTY (where the parties have to take turns communicating with the CA).

• Because the conversation flows more naturally back and forth between the parties, the conversation can take place much more quickly than with text-based relay service. As a result, the same conversation is much shorter through VRS than it would be through other forms of text-based relay services.

• VRS calls may be made between ASL users and hearing persons speaking either English or Spanish.  

Video Relay Service Providers   The following is simply a resource list of options we found for videophone services and doubtless does not include all available options. TSHA does not support or recommend any one service over another, and recommends you review the terms and conditions of each before selecting any option. Click here for a downloadable file.
Sorenson VRS - Video Relay Service	Sprint Video Relay Service (Sprint VRS)
CSDVRS	AT&T Video Relay Services: Home
Hands On Video Relay Service	Hamilton Relay - Hamilton Video Relay