Sometimes a phone call is as good as a hug!

The National Relay Service (NRS) provides a phone solution for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment.

The National Relay Service uses specially trained staff called relay officers who work in a call centre and act as a ‘relay’ between you and the person you are calling. If your hearing is impaired, for instance, the relay officer types the other person’s responses so you can read them.

The service is available 24 hours a day.

A National Relay Service trainer can show you how to use the service and the equipment you need to make calls. It’s easy to learn and in no time you’ll be able to make a relay call, without having to rely on friends or relatives to make calls for you.

Most calls through the National Relay Service cost about the same as a local call. International and 1900 calls require a special account, which you can set up through our Helpdesk.

Using the National Relay Service
There are several ways in which the National Relay Service can help you make a call when you have a speech or hearing impairment. In most cases, you’ll need either access to the internet or a special phone called a TTY.

A TTY is a phone with a keyboard and a small display screen for text. It allows you to type your message or conversation and to read what is being said in reply.

How do Deaf people use the NRS to phone hearing people?

1. TTY: The Deaf person uses their TTY to call the NRS. The NRS relay officer connects the call to the hearing person’s phone. The relay officer reads out to the hearing person everything that the Deaf person types, and the relay officer types to the Deaf person everything that the hearing person says. (Hearing-impaired people who use their own voice can speak for themselves instead of typing – for more information, click here.
2. Internet relay: The Deaf person uses a computer or internet-enabled mobile phone to call the NRS. The NRS relay officer connects the call to the hearing person. The relay officer reads out to the hearing person everything that the Deaf person types, and the relay officer types to the Deaf person everything that the hearing person says. Internet relay is available using the NRS website or instant messaging services

How do hearing people use the NRS to phone Deaf people?
The hearing person uses an ordinary phone to call the NRS. The NRS relay officer connects the call to the Deaf person’s TTY. The relay officer reads out to the hearing person everything that the Deaf person types and the relay officer types to the Deaf person everything that the hearing person says.

Note: internet relay is only available for outbound calls. Deaf people can use the NRS to make phone calls on their computer to hearing people, but cannot receive calls on their computer from hearing people.

For more information, contact the NRS.