press release

2006 Marks Relay Utah’s Highest Level of Assistive Telecommunication Equipment Distribution To Utah’s Deaf And Hard
of Hearing Since Program’s Introduction

SALT LAKE CITY—January 30, 2007—Relay Utah, the Utah Public Service Commission program that provides telecommunication equipment and relay services for hard of hearing and deaf Utahns, reports a nearly 20 percent increase in the statewide distribution of amplified, captioning and text telephones during 2006. In addition, Relay Utah has 111 deliveries scheduled
at the start of 2007.

“This program is so important to helping improve the quality of life for Utah’s deaf and hard of hearing individuals,” said Julie Orchard, commission secretary. “We are so pleased to have once again exceeded our distribution totals from the previous year and are committed to continue working each day to reach every hard of hearing or deaf individual that could benefit from an assistive device.”

The equipment that Relay Utah distributes includes amplified phones, amplified cordless phones, captioning phones (CapTel), and text telephones (TTY).

In addition to the equipment program, the 7-1-1 “relay” translation service facilitated thousands of calls between deaf, hard of hearing and hearing individuals. This free service is available by dialing 7-1-1. A Relay Communications Assistant (CA) will “relay” communication between an individual using a hearing-assistive phone and a standard phone. Relay Utah is also offered in Spanish by calling 888-346-3162.
 
Relay Utah was established in 1988 and was one of the first relay services to be established in the United States. The Public Service Commission continually strives to provide a service for the more than 220,000 Utahns who have difficulty with hearing and/or speaking over the telephone to communicate with each other and with the hearing community. Relay Utah is subsidized though a $.10 telephone surcharge.

Information and equipment applications can be obtained on the Relay Utah website at www.relayutah.gov or by calling the Utah Public Service Commission at 801-530-6638 (V/TTY). The telecommunication “relay” service is available statewide by dialing 7-1-1.

Press Contacts:
Julie Orchard, Public Service Commission, jorchard@utah.gov, 801-530-6713
Stephanie Miller, PPBH Public Relations for Relay Utah, smiller@ppbh.com, 801-487-4800 x107