September 25, 2014, Aurora Neb. – In a unanimous 5-0 vote, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) selected Hamilton Relay as the new Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) provider for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Hamilton Relay, a leading provider of TRS and Captioned Telephone (CapTel®) services, begins providing TRS to Pennsylvania residents on or before December 31, 2014. Hamilton has provided Captioned Telephone Relay Service (CTRS) to Pennsylvanians since August 6, 2007.
TRS enables individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking to communicate with friends, family members and businesses over the phone. Traditional TRS call types include the use of text telephone, voice carry over, hearing carry over and speech-to-speech services. Hamilton provides TRS services in English and Spanish.
When a telecommunications relay call is placed, a Communication Assistant (CA) confidentially relays the conversation by voicing or typing what’s said between the relay user and the standard phone user. When using Captioned Telephone (CTRS), a screen on the CapTel phone displays word-for-word captions generated by the CA through the use of voice recognition software, allowing users to listen while reading what’s being said during the conversation.
“We’re excited to begin providing Telecommunications Relay Service to the people of Pennsylvania,” said Dixie Ziegler, vice president of Hamilton Relay. “Providing easy, convenient and accessible telephone services for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking is our top priority. We’re ready and eager to expand the life-changing benefits relay services provide to individuals throughout the Commonwealth.”
Anyone can initiate a relay call by simply dialing 711. Hamilton provides TRS and CapTel service 24-hours a day, 365-days a year. There is no cost to use relay services, although equipment and long distance charges may apply. Through Pennsylvania’s Equipment Distribution Program, free telecommunications equipment is available for qualified residents. For more information, contact Hamilton Relay at 1-800-618-4781 or visit hamiltonrelay.com.
About Hamilton Relay
Hamilton Relay provides contracted Telecommunications Relay and/or Captioned Telephone services to 17 states, the District of Columbia and the Island of Saipan, and is a provider of Internet-based Captioned Telephone services nationwide. More information is available at hamiltonrelay.com.
Hamilton Relay is a division of Hamilton Telecommunications, a diversified communications and technology service provider based in Aurora, Neb. Founded in 1901, Hamilton Telecommunications encompasses seven primary company divisions that allow Hamilton to operate on a local, regional and national basis.