Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Speech Impaired Services

Definitions:

TTY - this is an abbreviation for "Teletypewriter" which is a device that can be used by people with speech and hearing disabilities to communicate over the phone system.

Relay- this is a free service that enables phone users to communicate with individuals with hearing loss who use TTY's, have speech disabilities, or who communicate in American Sign Language. Specialty trained Relay operators complete all calls and stay on the line to relay conversations between users. There are a variety of Relay services, as outlined below. Most Relay services are available 24 hours per day, everyday and all calls through Relay are held in strict confidence. There is no charge for Relay services, however, normal long distance fees do apply.

Services Available:

EMERGENCY CALLS- All emergency calls should be made directly to 911. Using Relay for emergency calls is not encouraged.  If you use a TTY and cannot obtain emergency services by calling 911,  you may call relay and tell the operator you have an emergency.

Directory assistance and operator services - If a disability makes it difficult for you to look up numbers in the phone book or to dial a phone, you may qualify for an exemption from directory assistance or operator services.  To inquire, please call our business office at 962-5131 or 811.

Directory Listings For TTY Users

Customers who have a TDD may include this information as a part of their directory listing at no additional charge.

Examples:

Smith, J.J.
TTY Only ................................................................................ 555-8888

Or

Smith, J.J.
TTY& Voice .............................................................................. 555-8888
"TTY Only" means the telephone is answered using a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf and communication can only be made with another TTY.

"TTY & Voice" means that both TTY users and non-TTY users can communicate over the line.

Exemptions from Operator Service Charges
You are exempt from service charges for Operator-placed calls within your Service Area; however, you must identify yourself as being disabled and unable to dial the call.  You will be billed at the regular rate for the call.

Exemptions from Directory Assistance Charges
If a disability makes it difficult for you to look up numbers in the phone book, call our Service Office to see if you qualify for exemption from Directory Assistance Charges.  This exemption applies only to your home phone service.

Free equipment  In Nevada, TTY, Telebraille, and telephone signalers are available at no charge to a qualified deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and speech impaired individuals. This service is made possible through a monthly surcharge on all telephone lines in Nevada.
To access this program, please contact:

In Southern Nevada:	Southern Nevada Center for Independent Living
	3100 East Lake Mead Blvd, 4A
	Las Vegas, NV 89030
	TTY 702-639-6543 Voice 702-639-6546

In Northern Nevada:	Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living
	999 Pyramid Way
	Sparks, NV 89431
	TTY or Voice 775-353-3599

Relay Services - You should know a few things about Relay Nevada:

1. Long distance calls made through Relay Nevada are billed by Sprint at their standard rate, unless you ask the Relay operator to use your specific long distance carrier.

2. All calls through Relay Nevada must either be made from, or to, a phone line in Nevada.

3. Relay Nevada calls can be made from Nevada, to virtually anywhere in the world (using English or Spanish only).

4. Directory assistance help is available through any Relay Nevada service.

The following is a description of the various Relay services and how to access them:

Voice - for standard voice phone users wishing to call a TTY user.
Dial 711 or 1-800-326-6888

TTY - for users wishing to call a voice phone user.
Dial 711 or 1-800-326-6868

Spanish- for TTY or voice users wishing to relay calls in Spanish, or translated between English and Spanish.
Dial 1-800-877-1219

Speech to Speech- for voice phone users with speech disabilities who prefer not to type their message on a TTY. A specially trained operator serves as the speech disabled user's "voice" and repeats everything they say to the called party.
Dial 1-888-326-5658

Voice Carry Over (VCO)- for people with a hearing loss who prefer to use voice to speak directly, rather than typing their message on a TTY. VCO calls can be made to any phone or TTY user.
Dial 1-800-326-4013

Hearing Carry Over (HCO) for TTY users with speech disabilities who prefer to hear, rather than read, messages from the called party.
Dial 711 or 1-800-326-6868

900 call services- for TTY users who wish to call a "900" number. The call to Relay is toll free, standard charges apply to the number called from Relay Nevada.
Dial 1-900-230-2300

Internet Relay - for those who wish to access Relay from the Internet. There are no long distance charges for Internet Relay.
  Go to www.sprintrelayonline.com

Video Relay Service(VRS)- for those who communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) and who have a digital video camera attached to their computer. A Relay operator signs to the ASL user over the camera/computer and talks with a voice phone user via a regular phone. VRS is not currently available 24 hours per day.
 Go to WWW.NVRS.COM

International calls - calls made from another country, to the United States, can be relayed through Sprint's international relay system.
Dial 1-605-224-1837

Customer Database Profile - for Relay users who wish to have their calling preferences, like their long distance carrier of choice, stored in the Relay Nevada computer. This makes calling Relay more efficient. To set up a database profile:
Dial 1-800-676-3777

Customer Service - all questions, comments and complaints are welcome. To reach customer service:
Dial 1-800-676-3777

Additional information on Relay Nevada is available at www.relaynevada.com