Numbers
Deaf - Hard of hearing
If you are unable to use your voice on the telephone, 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.
There is no extra charge for the Typetalk service - the cost is no more than a standard phone call. Whilst a speech impaired person needs a textphone to use the service, the other person does not require any specialist equipment.
People who wish to call someone who is speech impaired, and who uses a textphone, just dial the prefix 18002, followed by their full telephone number, on a standard telephone.
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
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 on 18001 0800 085 7622
• 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. You can either listen to the response, or the Relay Assistant can type back the hearing person’s spoken conversation, so that you can read their reply on your textphone display (or computer).
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 Voice Carry Over
If you are able to use your voice, please follow the ‘Voice Carry Over’ or ‘VCO’ instructions in your textphone manual.
Please allow the other person to reply, by switching back to text every 30 seconds or so.
If your textphone uses Baudot, please read the Baudot section in Textphone Troubleshooting.
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, 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.
Relay Assist service
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 call
• 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.
Using Typetalk from overseas
In order to access Typetalk from outside the UK, please call Relay Assist on:
+44 151 494 1260.
Textphone Troubleshooting
If you are having a problem using TextDirect and Typetalk, please contact our Customer Support team on 18001 0800 500 888 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”.
If you dial 18002 followed by the full telephone number, and you do not hear the TextDirect greeting message, please try again. If this happens every time you make a call, please contact your telephone communications provider or the Customer Support team on 0800 500 888, email helpline@rnid-typetalk.org.uk
General Typetalk information
• Do you need more information?
• Typetalk Update – customer magazine
Do you need more information or assistance?
If you would like further information or assistance, please complete our online enquiry form and our Customer Support team will contact you.
Alternatively, contact our Customer Support Helpdesk
Textphone 18001 0800 7311 888
Telephone 0800 7311 888
Fax 0151 709 8119
Email helpline@rnid-typetalk.org.uk
Or, write to us at RNID typetalk, PO Box 284, Liverpool L69 3UZ.
We are open:
Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 5pm
We are closed on bank holidays.
Typetalk Update – customer magazine
If you would like to receive our customer magazine, Typetalk Update, please register with us on our website using our Enquiry form, or contact Customer Support (details above).
No Relay Assistant ID? No problem!
If you want to report a problem with the way a call was handled, or thank a Relay Assistant, you do not need to know their ID.
Simply contact the Customer Support and tell them your telephone number and the time of the call. They will be able to identify the Relay Assistant and help you with your query.
If you have a problem with a call through TextDirect and Typetalk, please contact the Customer Support (details above) and we will investigate your problem. In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied by our response, please contact your telephone Communications Provider, using their standard complaints process.
Why is there a long wait sometimes?
Sometimes, we receive an unexpected increase in the number of calls that require Typetalk and the service becomes very busy.
Why is the text slow?
Some people cannot type very quickly, or they may be thinking before they reply to you.
How much do Typetalk calls cost?
UK calls are charged at the standard rate - there is no additional charge for this service. Typing is slower than speaking and your telephone Communications Provider may provide you with a rebate on your calls; please contact your telephone Communications Provider for more details.
18001followed by the full telephone number (for deaf or speech impaired people using a textphone)
18000 (to make a 999 call dial on your textphone)
18002 followed by the full telephone number (for people who can hear and use a standard telephone, calling someone who uses a textphone)
180015 followed by the full telephone number (if you are calling another textphone, you can switch off the automatic connection to Typetalk).
