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The Communications Revolution: How does the deaf connect to the telephone network?
With the rapid development of science and technology, the way of communication has undergone tremendous changes. For the hearing-impaired and other people with communication disabilities, communication difficulties are not just an obstacle, they are a challenge that needs to be overcome. In the past, TTYs (teletypewriters) provided a bridge between the hearing-impaired and the hearing-impaired, but nowadays, advances in telephone transmission technology have led to new services, including various Internet and video calls. choose.
The way information is delivered is evolving, allowing everyone to participate and communicate, this is a revolution in communications.
These new technologies not only make traditional voice calls accessible, but also open up new avenues of communication for individuals who use sign language. As technology develops, various types of relay services such as voice relay services (VRS) and video remote interpretation (VRI) are continuously integrated into the telephone network, thus providing a more inclusive communication environment for everyone.
Different types of services
Depending on the user's technical needs and communication abilities, many different relay call types are available, such as TTY-to-Voice or Voice-to-TTY calls. This allows people who do not have access to traditional telephones to easily communicate with others.
Each calling mode is designed to remove barriers to communicating with each other.
The first relay service was launched by Converse Communications in 1974, and more and more innovative services followed. Today, the Voice Coordination (VCO) function enables hearing-impaired but still able-to-speak people to simultaneously speak and receive responses from hearing people. During this period, various other variants such as privacy VCO and two-wire VCO also emerged, further improving the privacy and efficiency of communications.
The rise of new technologies
Over time, the rise of networking and IP trunking services played a pivotal role. These services not only connect therapeutic speech and sign language, but also integrate instant messaging and web calling functions.
With the help of the Internet, the hearing-impaired world is connecting to the telephone network in a way that has never been possible before.
For example, Video Relay Service (VRS) allows users to communicate via video. The instant conversion of sign language and speech undoubtedly provides a new way of communication for the hearing-impaired. This technology enables individuals to interact with hearing people regardless of distance, enhancing the breadth of social dialogue.
From instant translation of phone messages to easy communication using sign language, these technological developments demonstrate the limitless nature of communication. Behind this, technology has opened a new door to diversified communication for us.
The Importance of Accessible Communications
In Canada and the United States, dialing 711 connects you to relay service, a symbol of equitable access to communications resources for all. This service is not limited to the hearing-impaired, but also includes all other people who need to communicate with others. Its existence reminds us that everyone has the right to communicate equally, regardless of ability.
Different modes of communication are equally important, and equality of communication should not be affected by differences in ability.
But despite these advances, challenges remain, including fraud. Although the openness of relay services gives users the right to connect freely, it also raises many questions about fraud, which affects the user experience of many legitimate users.
Future Outlook
As communications technology continues to advance, the potential for the future is limitless. We can’t help but wonder how we can further promote the connection between the “inaudible world” and the “audible world” in the future? As technology continues to improve, will we see the emergence of more barrier-free communication bridges, or even ubiquitous interactive platforms?
