TTY and policy

[HelloKittyGal]

I once called the main campus (university) to ask about counseling service fee and health insurance. I was put on hold and hung up, so when they finally had someone talk, they said that they cannot use the relay, and to use their website and e-mail.

I was in shock because what if a deaf student has an emergency? Would you have them wait on an e-mail that's not 24/7? I was going to write up a letter to the disability office, but I never did. It was last year.

Can you believe this stupid policy? I don't believe that they should make any policy to TTY calls because imagine...we would be restricted like all the stupid laws out there.

There has been some TTY numbers that no body answers or is a certain hour. I am just like everyone else who has problems anytime. Why should deaf people have to wait?

I really do not understand about the psychology dept. policy regarding TTY's. They didn't have an explanation...just that it was the policy. For what?! I need to know!

 

[VamPyroX]

I never have that problem because RIT has TTYs available.

 

[Mark Rejhon]

Some companies, organizations and institutions are refusing relay calls because of:
http://ip_relay_scams.aimoo.com

Con artists using relay services
MSNBC - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4781806/
ABOUT.COM - http://deafness.about.com/b/a/081073.htm
Slashdot - http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/04/04/09/179233.shtml?tid=103&tid=111&tid=126&tid=99
Arizonia Daily Star - http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/dailystar/17393.php
CityPaper - Google cache link
AllDeaf.com - Earlier Thread About This

So, you see, your institution has discontinued accepting relay calls...

 

[Dennis S.]

Businesses cannot put a block on relay calls. Only home / residential places can.

There's no point in a University blocking relay calls due to internet relay fraud -- after all, they don't sell a product that can be shipped to Africa or wherever. So, Mark, that shouldn't apply here.

The only thing I can suggest you do, HelloKittyGal, is to contact your state's relay manager. Since you don't state where in the U.S. you are, I suggest you look on any of the below sites for your state and EMAIL the manager asking for them to help you educate your university. It works and I know the Account Managers in Missouri (www.relaymissouri.com) actively go out and meet with businesses to explain how to do this. They are AWESOME and really friendly people whose job is to help you out.

check:

www.sprintrelay.com (Missouri's relay is run by Sprint, that's how I found how to contact them)
www.att.com/relay
www.ip-relay.com
http://www.hiprelay.com/

Hope this helps!