7-1-1 Relay (TRS) is a 24/7 service enabling hearing people or people who do
not use a text telephone (TTY) to communicate over regular telephone lines with
people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, late deafened, or speech disabled.
A Relay Operator (OPR) acts as the “link” between TTY text telephone users and
standard telephone users. When you make a relay call, the operator dials your
party, and then stays on the line to relay your conversation.
Following are some basic examples of relay calling:
Don’t Hang Up!
Some people hang up on TRS calls because they think the OPR is a
telemarketer. If you hear, “Hello. This is the relay service…” when you pick up
the phone, please don’t hang up! You are about to talk, through a TRS provider,
to a person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, or has a speech disability.
