Captions on cell phones

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pedln

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I'm a late, deafened very HOH adult. Do not know ASL. I've used a CapTel landline phone for several years, but would like to also get a cell phone that can offer up captions. (ATT carrier for landline, I pay for 2nd line for captions on incoming calls)

I've been looking at Samsung Galaxy 4S, carriers would be either ATT or Sprint, and I'm leaning toward ATT if captions would work. ATT is 4G here, Sprint 3G.

The Alliance for Disability Independence here has said they can help me with the necessary registration -- proof of hearing loss, etc

My questions for you -- Does this work? Will I see captions on my cell phone screen much like I do on my CapTel Phone? Do you use Hamilton Relay or Sprint Relay. Does the Sprint Relay work on non-Sprint phones?

Thanks for your help. I've been diddling about this for the past six months and am ready to end it.
 
pedln said:
I'm a late, deafened very HOH adult. Do not know ASL. I've used a CapTel landline phone for several years, but would like to also get a cell phone that can offer up captions. (ATT carrier for landline, I pay for 2nd line for captions on incoming calls)

I've been looking at Samsung Galaxy 4S, carriers would be either ATT or Sprint, and I'm leaning toward ATT if captions would work. ATT is 4G here, Sprint 3G.

The Alliance for Disability Independence here has said they can help me with the necessary registration -- proof of hearing loss, etc

My questions for you -- Does this work? Will I see captions on my cell phone screen much like I do on my CapTel Phone? Do you use Hamilton Relay or Sprint Relay. Does the Sprint Relay work on non-Sprint phones?

Thanks for your help. I've been diddling about this for the past six months and am ready to end it.
Click to expand...

Here are the sites run by these two providerws:
Wireless CapTel by Sprint | Sprint CapTel

Hamilton CapTel: Smartphone

When the Sprint one first came out they talked about needing 3G service. I tried it on PagePlus (an MVNO that uses Verizon towers) and prepaid service from T-Mobile. It worked to a certain extent but I was having my voice cut in and out a lot. It seems 3G, at least where I am, is not BOTH fast enough and stable enough. They have since started saying that you need at least 4G or LTE. This is actually what they say on their web site: "The Wireless CapTel by Sprint app requires a network connection with high enough bandwidth and low enough latency to reliably process a voice-over-IP call. It is highly recommended that use of this app be done in conjunction with connection through a 4G or Wi-Fi network. Attempting to use a 3G connection is not recommended."

I have since discovered that T-Mobile has more service where I am than I realized. I have since gotten a low in prepaid phone that only goes to 3G and loaded, etc. the Hamilton app. It works better! But . . . I do get a few comments from their CAs of what the other person said had some breaking up.

I am running out of time. So why don't you look at their sites and maybe even check in with their customer service (which I have found both to be very interested in truly helping). I will check back in this afternoon.
 
Thanks, JaneB, for your help. I haven't looked at T-Mobile, although I understand from the Disability Alliance here that it does provide simultaneous data and voice, which is necessary with 3G. The Alliance also told me that Sprint does not guarantee these programs working unless it is on phones bought from Sprint. I talked a few months ago with Hamilton Relay, and they were helpful.

What is PURPLE? I watched the video this morning shown on IP-Relay.com. Not quite sure if their program is captions or email or what. Reading the posts here on AllDeaf has been a real learning experience for me, and I've found the comments about the various programs to be very helpful.
 
pedln said:
Thanks, JaneB, for your help. I haven't looked at T-Mobile, although I understand from the Disability Alliance here that it does provide simultaneous data and voice, which is necessary with 3G. The Alliance also told me that Sprint does not guarantee these programs working unless it is on phones bought from Sprint. I talked a few months ago with Hamilton Relay, and they were helpful.

What is PURPLE? I watched the video this morning shown on IP-Relay.com. Not quite sure if their program is captions or email or what. Reading the posts here on AllDeaf has been a real learning experience for me, and I've found the comments about the various programs to be very helpful.
Click to expand...

I did check back but found nothing to really add. Now after a busy time getting ready and participating in the Fall Festival Sunday at DuBois Center (a UCC camp & conference center in Southern Illinois) all I can do is remind you that which service is going to work best for you is like real estate it depends on location, location, location. The provider of cell service that works best for me could well be the one with the worst service where you are.

I get the impression from both Hamilton and Sprint that they are really trying to provide a quality service but they have no control over which cell service works best where you are.

I don't really know about Purple but from what I have found from the comments of others and a Google search get the impression what they do is VRS (video relay using sign language) and IP-Relay (which uses the internet and you have to type with the CA then voicing what you say to the hearing party on the call). Maybe someone will correct me if I am wrong.
 
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