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If you are deaf, you are intimately familiar with TTY. The TTY network enables communication for the deaf community. TTY was introduced in the 1960's by the deaf scientist, Robert Weitbrecht. The work that Robert did was amazing considering everything he had to go through to make TTY a reality. His story is incredible, if you get some free time, Google him, I guarantee it will be worth your time. You will be impressed with his drive, determination and astounding intelligence.
The Good.....
Even though TTY is approaching 60 years old, it is still commonly used, especially in corporate America and government entities. Technology has brought about newer communication options for the deaf community, and many of them have been adopted by the deaf community to communicate with each other, but corporate America and government entities have chosen to stick with TTY. The reasons are obvious; we are, after all, living in a country driven by economics and capitalism. For corporations, businesses and government entities, their options are a text solution (TTY or chat) or a video solution. Video calls are much preferred by the deaf community, but they are an expensive proposition for a company, business or government entity. The easiest solution is TTY, it can be used by all employees and doesn’t require the company to install cameras and the associated network and firewall equipment it takes to make them secure.
The Bad….
For the deaf community, TTY feels “old school”. I remember showing our software to the director of a school for the deaf and while reviewing it she said “I haven’t typed GA for the better part of 10 years”. (GA is typed at the end of an entry so the other party knows that you are done typing and ready for their reply).
As for corporations, businesses and government entities, they are still using the old TTY phones or TTY cradles. While these were more than adequate 40 years ago, they are dinosaurs today. These machines are connected to analog phone lines (POTS lines) and reside outside of the digital world that dominates call centers and offices. These old time TTY phones frustrate IT managers because they won’t integrate into their PBX, Key System Unit or call center ACD. And it’s worse for call center agents and office employees. Imagine being a call center agent or office employee working at a credit card company and the TTY phone, which is usually stuck in the corner, starts ringing. You have to leave your work station/cubicle/desk and go answer the TTY phone. The display on the TTY phone is usually 2 lines / 24 characters, so that sucks. Worse yet, the caller asks about a charge on their account, which means you have to run back and forth between your work station and the TTY phone to be able to help the customer. This is such an inefficient solution and it drives IT mangers, employees and the especially the deaf caller crazy.
The Rebirth…
NexTalk introduced a TTY Call Management Saas Solution in the mid 1990’s. Today, we call that platform/program SimpliciTTY. SimpliciTTY allows companies to continue to use the cost effective and easy-to-use TTY solution, but it integrates it into their digital world. The old analog TTY phone is out, a software solution is in. Additionally, SimpliciTTY is call center/office equipment agnostic, so it will work with virtually any call center phone system or office network. TTY calls can now be tracked, quality controlled and even recorded if so desired.
For the deaf community, SimpliciTTY enables them to communicate with a larger variety of companies, businesses and government entities and it eliminates the need for a relay operator. While these relay operator do great work, there are times when both the caller and the company being called would prefer that a third person not be in the middle of a call. Especially when the call is about financial, health, marital or relationship issues.
For the hard of hearing (Baby Boomers), TTY is about their only option. As this beloved generation ages and looses their hearing, they need communication tools to help them continue their dialog with their family, friends, insurance agents, dentists, doctors, auto mechanic, etc. And let’s be real, these aging generations (Baby Boomers and all those generations that come after them) are not going to learn American Sign Language, so ASL Video Phone calls will never be an option for them.
Because of this TTY will always be a viable and effective communication tool for the deaf, hard of hearing and all those who want to communicate with them.
Learn more about SimpliciTTY and our consumer software ACCESS at www.nextalk.com
The Good.....
Even though TTY is approaching 60 years old, it is still commonly used, especially in corporate America and government entities. Technology has brought about newer communication options for the deaf community, and many of them have been adopted by the deaf community to communicate with each other, but corporate America and government entities have chosen to stick with TTY. The reasons are obvious; we are, after all, living in a country driven by economics and capitalism. For corporations, businesses and government entities, their options are a text solution (TTY or chat) or a video solution. Video calls are much preferred by the deaf community, but they are an expensive proposition for a company, business or government entity. The easiest solution is TTY, it can be used by all employees and doesn’t require the company to install cameras and the associated network and firewall equipment it takes to make them secure.
The Bad….
For the deaf community, TTY feels “old school”. I remember showing our software to the director of a school for the deaf and while reviewing it she said “I haven’t typed GA for the better part of 10 years”. (GA is typed at the end of an entry so the other party knows that you are done typing and ready for their reply).
As for corporations, businesses and government entities, they are still using the old TTY phones or TTY cradles. While these were more than adequate 40 years ago, they are dinosaurs today. These machines are connected to analog phone lines (POTS lines) and reside outside of the digital world that dominates call centers and offices. These old time TTY phones frustrate IT managers because they won’t integrate into their PBX, Key System Unit or call center ACD. And it’s worse for call center agents and office employees. Imagine being a call center agent or office employee working at a credit card company and the TTY phone, which is usually stuck in the corner, starts ringing. You have to leave your work station/cubicle/desk and go answer the TTY phone. The display on the TTY phone is usually 2 lines / 24 characters, so that sucks. Worse yet, the caller asks about a charge on their account, which means you have to run back and forth between your work station and the TTY phone to be able to help the customer. This is such an inefficient solution and it drives IT mangers, employees and the especially the deaf caller crazy.
The Rebirth…
NexTalk introduced a TTY Call Management Saas Solution in the mid 1990’s. Today, we call that platform/program SimpliciTTY. SimpliciTTY allows companies to continue to use the cost effective and easy-to-use TTY solution, but it integrates it into their digital world. The old analog TTY phone is out, a software solution is in. Additionally, SimpliciTTY is call center/office equipment agnostic, so it will work with virtually any call center phone system or office network. TTY calls can now be tracked, quality controlled and even recorded if so desired.
For the deaf community, SimpliciTTY enables them to communicate with a larger variety of companies, businesses and government entities and it eliminates the need for a relay operator. While these relay operator do great work, there are times when both the caller and the company being called would prefer that a third person not be in the middle of a call. Especially when the call is about financial, health, marital or relationship issues.
For the hard of hearing (Baby Boomers), TTY is about their only option. As this beloved generation ages and looses their hearing, they need communication tools to help them continue their dialog with their family, friends, insurance agents, dentists, doctors, auto mechanic, etc. And let’s be real, these aging generations (Baby Boomers and all those generations that come after them) are not going to learn American Sign Language, so ASL Video Phone calls will never be an option for them.
Because of this TTY will always be a viable and effective communication tool for the deaf, hard of hearing and all those who want to communicate with them.
Learn more about SimpliciTTY and our consumer software ACCESS at www.nextalk.com