Understood your frustration, BUT, there are plenty of hearing people got confused and frustrated with proxy number.
If you still using proxy number, and if you want to do advertisement on craigslist, or look for job..... your pretty much out of luck! Why? Majority of hearing people will "Stare" at you with baffled thinking... "WHY TWO NUMBERS???" resulting them not bothering calling you at all.
Comparing to real 10 digit number, it is drawn randomly by telephone company, just same way if you want to order a new telephone line from telephone company, they will randomly choose number for you.
Because you now have a real 10 digit number, it is ALL you need to give to anyone, forget the VRS number, it is history and no longer needed. Advertise in Craigslist, job application, bank application, credit application, just one number will do all the trick. Of course, now Deafies are confusing, just the same way hearing people used to be confused with two numbers.
Suppose your real 10 digit number is 300-123-4321 has been assigned to your VP. Deaf person need dial 300-123-4321 and will get connect to you, and the very SAME number the hearing person CAN dial 300-123-4321 directly and it will cause your defaullt VRS provider to get involved without dialing additional number! How easy it is for hearing people! They (hearing people) won't have to figure out anything, just same way any stranger on craigslist will not even have any idea until they dial your real 10 digit number, BAM there is terp there.
There have been confusion with 10 digit local number and DirectVP number from Sorenson Communication. Actually, you can choose either of two numbers provided to you not both at same time. There is advantage of two numbers, If you have loved ones or hearing friends that lives outside of your area code and they call you using 10 digit local number, they may be billed long distance charges, so use DirectVP which will not cause them to incur long distance charge. On other hand, many banks, creditors, even some pizza parlors will refuse DirectVP number so you got 10 digit local number this will solve the problem, which they will honor.
The fact is that the history of VRS industry has changed 360 degrees as per FCC requirement. All VRS provider have no choice BUT to comply this FCC requirement.
Finally, with proxy number, NONE of 911 centers in local will have your number! That is B A D, but with 10 digit real number, they automatically have your number in their file, and have the ability to call you in event of local emergency. This is for your own safety, another benefit for all Deafies.
Memorizing is only small inconvienence for you BUT they have plenty of positive benefits that outweights your inconvienence.
For more information, check your favorite VRS provider website for more information. OR check on
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Home Page and search for Relay service as this is not limited to VRS, it also applies to TRS, Internet Relay as well.
Finally, this is most important, understood that many of you have private life and do not want to reveal your home address... Please, Please always update your address information where the VP is located, that address you update on your VP equipment is held strictly confidential and can ONLY be used for emergencies. They can NOT be used for any other purposes as per FCC regulation. Failure to do this can cause delay emergency response service which you may not want to happen.
I have used 911 though SorensonVRS twice and they were darn awesome! Unbelieveable F A S T! As soon as I hang up the call, police is right on my front door. I said oh my god that was super fast! (less than 3 minutes after SVRS operator answered my call, total less than 4 minutes) Much faster than using 911 though TTY
I had my Sorenson updated with E911. The Sorenson agent did not tell me one thing after I followed the instruction on the screen for the update. My phone number is automatically changed so I was forced to pick two numbers for one local and another one is a DirectVP.
I was mad that my VP number is changed because my phone number was so easy for me to remember it. Now, my new VP number is hard to remember b/c every number is different on it. For a general example: 2135 mine was 1004. I was told that all of our original SVRS numbers will be deleted this summer - I mean everyone including yours, too.
My TV showed up the 911 on the display with the statements, and it asked me to confirm my home address. I submitted "yes" as a correct my home address. Nothing happened. I guess that after that, you would not want to press 911 on the remote unless it is a real emergency. That's about it. You might want to put your remote higher so that you would not want to let your kids to touch it. BTW, I saw on the news that many crazy loud sirens in your front house and they are about to break your front big door! aaaahhh!
Are we cool?
