Typetalk Relay Service and TextDirect

Our relay assistants are sensitive and well trained and handle each call with complete confidentiality. All relay calls are strictly confidential and no records of any conversations are maintained. Calls to the relay and helpdesk may be monitored for quality and training purposes.

How many businesses do you know that have deaf and speech impaired people as their customers? There are an estimated 9 million people in the UK who have hearing difficulties. All are potential customers.

Many initial contacts from new customers are made by phone. But what is the point of having glossy magazines and high cost TV adverts if the call centre staff who take that first call do not know how to handle a call from a deaf person?

You would not believe how easy it is to take a call from a deaf person and Typetalk offers training to businesses who want to know how they can communicate with their potential 9 million customers.

Once a company has received training from Typetalk they will be added to the list of "Typetalk Approved" businesses, a starting point for any deaf person looking for a company who is known to handle calls from deaf people.

What is Typetalk Relay Service and TextDirect?

TextDirect is a telephone network service that allows customers to access Typetalk, use the telephone network and provide information such as call progress and rebate on calls where applicable.

Typetalk is the national telephone relay service for people with communication difficulties. The service was introduced in 1991, since then over 21 million calls have been made from Textphone users to hearing people and vice versa. Without Typetalk deaf and speech–impaired people would not be able to make telephone calls to hearing people, having to rely on friends and family to ring the bank, doctor etc on their behalf and hearing people would not be able to get in touch with textphone users.

Note: a textphone is the equipment a deaf or speech–impaired person would use to type and read the conversations being relayed by the Operator. A hearing person does not need any equipment to communicate with a deaf or speech–impaired person.

Typetalk is managed by RNID (The Royal National Institute for Deaf people) and funded by BT. In July 2001 BT introduced TextDirect. This improved the way customers were able to use Typetalk by allowing them to ‘dial direct’ for the first time. TextDirect offers a single telecommunication service that supports the needs of people with communication difficulties.

Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year Typetalk and TextDirect allows textphone users to communicate with hearing people all over the world and vice versa.

The service is simple and free to use even for businesses. Calls are charged at standard telephone rates (please contact your telephone service provider for information about how you are billed). A hearing person simply dials 18002 followed by the full telephone number of the person they wish to call. Once the call is answered by a textphone user a Typetalk Operator will join the line to relay the call. The hearing person will speak their part of the conversation and the Typetalk Operator will type exactly what is being said. The textphone user will then reply by speaking directly to the hearing person or Typing their conversation for the Typetalk Operator to read to the hearing person. If another hearing person answers the call, no Operator will be involved and the call will continue as normal even if you have used the prefix 18002.

How to use your textphone

Anyone can use Typetalk to make or receive a call. If you have a hearing or speech problem all you need is a Textphone-available from many different outlets.

When you make a call using Typetalk you need to dial 18001 followed by the full telephone number of the person you are calling. Once the call is connected a Typetalk Operator will join the line to relay your call. You can type or speak your conversation to the hearing person and the Typetalk Operator will type their reply to you.

There are many different textphones available and each one will work in a slightly different way. Click on your textphone below to take you to the instructions of making and receiving a call with your type of textphone.

Click here for further Textphone guides

Calling another textphone

If you want to call another textphone and are certain you do not want the help of a Typetalk Operator then you can use Typetalk textphone to textphone only service. This guarantees a Typetalk operator will not be involved with your call even if a hearing person answers. This services works in conjunction with TextDirect, so you will still receive network messages such as TXD ring, TXD engaged and so on and even receive a rebate on the text part of your call if you are eligible. Contact your telephone service provider for details of rebates for textphone users.

To make a call using this service simply dial 180015 followed by the full telephone number of the person you wish to call. For full instructions on making and receiving a call with your type of textphone click on your textphone type above.

How we can help

Typetalk’s relay service and TextDirect is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, however, occasionally you may have questions or problems using Typetalk or TextDirect. Typetalk’s Customer Service Team can help. There are many ways you can contact them. To find out more about customer support click here.

To download a free information leaflet about services for business click here.