Numbers
Speech Impaired
If you are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing or speech impaired and you cannot use a standard telephone, then Typetalk can help.
Typetalk gives you the independence to phone your family and friends, make business calls, order a takeaway, or book a taxi. All you need is a textphone, which is like a telephone with a keyboard and display.
How do I use Typetalk?
All you need is a telephone line and a textphone or a computer.
How do I set up my computer to work with Typetalk calls?
How do I make a call, using my textphone?
Textphone conversations & Typetalk calls
Do you need help making Typetalk calls?
What is a textphone?
A textphone, sometimes called a Minicom, is similar to a standard telephone. It plugs into your telephone socket at home, and has a keyboard and a display that lets you type and read your conversation. To make a textphone call, the other person must either have a textphone or the caller must use Typetalk.
You can get a textphone from:
• RNID products on 18001 01733 361199, or www.rnid.org.uk/shop
• BT Textphone rentals via BT Customer Services 18001 0800 800 150
• Your social worker or your local Social Services team
• Your employer, through agencies such as Jobcentre Plus and Access to Work schemes that offer financial assistance)
How do I set up my computer to work with Typetalk calls?
You can set up your computer to make and receive textphone calls by using Hyperterminal software. Read through our Typetalk/computer set up leaflet.How do I make a call, using my textphone?
Simply dial 18001 followed by the full national, international or mobile telephone number you want to call. For example,
| Prefix | Area Code | Number |
| 18001 | 0151 | 709 9494 |
There is no need to add a space between the numbers – you would simply dial 1800101517099494
If your textphone can store telephone numbers, simply add 18001 to the stored numbers.
The call will connect to the TextDirect system and your textphone will display messages to tell you what is happening. Some of the messages you will see are:
| TextDirect Message | What it means |
| TXD Dial | Your call is being set up |
| TXD Ring | The other telephone is ringing |
| TXD Busy | The other telephone is busy |
| TXD Unobtainable | The call could not be connected, the number may be wrong |
When your call is answered, you will see either:
| Connecting Typetalk | Your call is waiting for a Typetalk Relay Assistant to be connected |
or
| Connecting text to text | Your call is connected to the textphone you called. |
If the other person does not have a textphone, a Typetalk Relay Assistant automatically joins your call.
The Relay Assistant will speak your typed conversation to the person you are calling. The Relay Assistant types back the hearing person’s spoken conversation, so that you can read their reply on your textphone display (or computer). If you use your voice, you may speak your part of the conversation to the person you are calling, and read their reply.
How do I answer a call?
When the phone rings or flashes, answer the call as described in your textphone manual. When connected, you will see either Connecting Typetalk, if the caller uses a telephone, or Connecting text to text, if the caller has a textphone.
Textphone Conversations & Typetalk calls
• General tips
• Asking the Relay Assistant for help
• Typing of words and numbers
• Pauses in the conversation
• Background noise
• Asking for something to be repeated
• Identifying the Relay Assistant
• Calling businesses and answering machines
General Tips
During a textphone conversation, each person takes their turn to type or speak. When you have finished, you must type GA or say “Go ahead”. When you see GA it is your turn and you can either type or switch to voice (See: Using Voice Carry Over and Using Hearing Carry Over).
When you want to end your call, type BIBI SKSK, this means ‘goodbye’ and ‘stop keying’.
The Relay Assistant will introduce the call, then speak your words exactly as you type them - they will not add or subtract anything.
Asking the Relay Assistant for help
If you want to say something to the Relay Assistant you must type (OPERATOR) first, and end with GA. For example,
OPERATOR) is the other person male GA
If the Relay Assistant wants to say something to you they will type:
(NOTE FROM OPERATOR) yes they are male (END)
Typing of words and numbers
The Relay Assistant may ask hearing people how to spell different words or names. They will also break up numbers and addresses, to make them easier to read. For example,
0123 456 78901
or
101 The Street, Town, Liverpool
Pauses in the conversation
Sometimes the other person may stop speaking and pause. If this happens, the Relay Assistant may type “...” so that you know the line is still connected.
Background noise
The Relay Assistant will type what noises are happening in the background. For example,
(NOTE FROM OPERATOR) A baby is crying (END)
Asking for something to be repeated
If you want the other person to repeat something, please ask them to repeat it (do not ask the Relay Assistant).
Identifying the Relay Assistant
If you want to know the Relay Assistant’s ID or gender, please type (OPERATOR ID) and they will respond with (1234-f) or (5678-m) where the number is their ID and f = female, m = male, by typing (OPERATOR ID). (Please note, they will not tell you their name).
Calling businesses and answering machines
Sometimes calls are answered by automated systems asking you to pick an option, or answering machines. When this happens, the Relay Assistant may have to redial so that you have time to tell the Relay Assistant which option you would like, by typing your message. If they redialled within 45 seconds of being connected, you will not be charged for the initial call. However, other redials will be charged as standard calls.
Using Hearing Carry Over
If you are able to use your hearing, please follow the ‘Hearing Carry Over’ or ‘HCO’ instructions in your textphone manual.
If your textphone uses Baudot, please read the
Baudot section in Textphone Troubleshooting.
Emergency calls
To call the emergency services, please use your textphone to dial 18000. You will be connected directly to the 999 service and a Relay Assistant.
Call Return 1471
When you dial 180011471, you will see a message like the one below, showing number that last called you via Typetalk, and the time:
TXD Last call 15-05-2008 09:58:27 from 01517099494 Press 3 to return call
You can then type 3 to return this call.
No Relay Assistant required?
If you are using a textphone to call another textphone, you may wish to switch off the automatic connection to Typetalk. Just dial 180015 before the full telephone number.
Do you need help making Typetalk calls? - Call our Relay Assist service
If you’re unfamiliar with Typetalk and you’d like some help making calls, or you are having problems using the 18001 or 18002 prefixes, please call Relay Assist on 0870 2409 598.
The Relay Assist service connects you to a Relay Assistant before the call is made to the other person.
To use Relay Assist service:
• dial 0870 2409 598 and your call will be answered by the next available Relay Assistant
• tell the Relay Assistant the number and name of the person you want to call
• they will then set up the callwhilst you remain on the line.
• once the other person answers, your call will be handled in the same way as a standard 18001 relay call.
Calls to the Relay Assist service are charged at your telephone communications provider’s standard rate for 0870 calls. This charge will start when you are connected to the Relay Assistant.
Please note, the Relay Assist service uses the same Relay Assistants and equipment as the 18001 service. This means that if the standard 18001 relay service is busy, then the Relay Assist service will also be busy.
International Calls
International calls from UK telephone numbers to overseas
Please check that the person you are calling overseas can speak English, as Typetalk Relay Assistants can only relay conversations in English. Then, simply dial 18001 and the full telephone number (without the initial 0, as for other international calls) if you’re using a textphone (or 18002 if you are a hearing person calling someone who uses a textphone).Do you want to access Typetalk when calling home from abroad?
Simply call +44 151 494 1260 if you use a textphone,
or 0044 151 494 2022 if you are hearing.
A Relay Assistant will connect you to the UK telephone number you are calling.
Textphone Troubleshooting
If you are having a problem using TextDirect and Typetalk, please contact our Customer Support team on 18001 0800 7311 888 or email helpline@rnid-typetalk.org.uk.
Some common problems are described below:
No response from TextDirect
If you dial 18001, followed by the full telephone number, and you do not see any TXD messages, please try again. If this happens every time you make a call, please contact the Customer Support team.
Number Unobtainable
If you make a call and see TXD Dial TXD Ring TXD Number Unobtainable, please try again. This message sometimes appears when the number being called has a voice announcement saying, “We are busy, please ring back later”.
Baudot
Some textphones occasionally switch into Baudot. While this does slow down the text, it is not a problem unless you try and use Voice Carry Over (VCO). If this happens, you must type VCO GA before switching to voice.
Full Number Prompt
If you dial 18001 followed by the full telephone number and see TXD Pls type full number to call on your text phone followed by GA, then the number you dialled is incorrect, or you may have paused between entering the numbers. However, if it happens every time you make a call, please contact the Customer Support team.
Hearing people
Anyone wishing to contact a deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired person who uses a textphone, can do so through Typetalk, using a standard telephone or mobile phone.
When connected, a Relay Assistant will type exactly what you say to the person you are calling, who will read it on the screen of their textphone. The Relay Assistant then reads their typed response and relays this back to you, word for word.
If the person using a textphone can still use their voice, they may choose to speak to you direct. If they can hear, but cannot use their voice, they may listen to your conversation and type their replies.
Simply dial 18002 followed by the full national, international or mobile telephone number of the person with the textphone. For example,
| Prefix | Area Code | Number |
| 18001 | 0151 | 709 9494 |
There is no need to add a space between the numbers. You would dial 1800201517099494.
If your telephone has a memory, you can store 18002 with the numbers of those who use a textphone.
Once you have dialled the number, your call will be connected through TextDirect.
While the call is being connected, you will hear the TextDirect greeting message:
Welcome to TextDirect, please hold for connection …, after which the standard ringing, busy, Number Unobtainable tones will be heard.
When the other person answers, a Typetalk Relay Assistant will be automatically connected into the your call. You can then start your conversation.
When you answer a call that has been made through Typetalk, you will hear a recorded message saying:
Please hold for an operator-assisted call from a textphone user
and a Typetalk Relay Assistant will be automatically connected into the call.
Remember to say “go ahead” so that the Relay Assistant knows when you have finished speaking.
When the call has ended, simply say goodbye to the other person, please wait a moment before hanging up so that they can say goodbye to you.
