Typetalk

Help for the deaf, hard of hearing and speech-impaired

photo of a resident using type talk to contact the fire service in an emergency

Typetalk is a textphone communications service offered by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID).  It enables hard of hearing or deaf residents to make regular telephone calls and also emergency calls.

When using Typetalk to dial 999, the user sends a series of texts to a Typetalk relay assistant, the first of which starts with the trigger word 'emergency'.  The assistant can then use the automatic Caller Identification Number (CIN) to track down the area where the user lives and ask, via text, their address and the nature of the call.

While this is happening, a BT operator is given access to the series of texts between Typetalk and the user.  The operator then dials 999 and relays the details to the appropriate emergency service control room.

There are an estimated 450,000 deaf, hard of hearing and speech-impaired people in the UK that cannot use a standard telephone.  For them textphone communications provide a vital lifeline to the outside world, particularly in an emergency situation.

A local Cambridgeshire resident, who is deaf, tested the Typetalk system for us last year (see photo).  They found it quick, reliable and above all, easy to use.

The call, from start to finish, took less than 90 seconds to make - just 30 seconds longer than a call made by a resident using a standard telephone.

If you use a textphone you can make a call through TextDirect by dialling prefix 18001 before the telephone number you want.  TextDirect is available from most UK telephone networks.

TextDirect is provided by BT, Typetalk is managed by the RNID and both are supported by the UK Telephone Industry.

For further information about Typetalk, contact the Typetalk customer service team on 18001 0800 500 888, or for hearing users 0800 7311 888.  Alternatively visit the Typetalk website.