About this factsheet

This factsheet is part of RNID’s equipment range. It is written for deaf and hard of hearing people who cannot, or prefer not to, use telephones. If you are hearing and need to call someone who uses a textphone, you may also find this factsheet useful. We use the term ‘deaf’ throughout to refer to all types of hearing loss.

Read this factsheet to find out:

What is a textphone?

A textphone is telephone device that has a keyboard and a display screen. You type what you want to say rather than speaking into a mouthpiece. You can use a textphone instead of a voice telephone if you are deaf or if you have problems with your speech.

In the UK, companies often use the word ‘Minicom’ rather than textphone. In fact, Minicom is a widely used brand of textphone.

How do I use a textphone?

When using a textphone to call another textphone user, simply type your message using the keyboard and the other person can read what you have written on their display screen. Whatever the person on the end of the line is typing back to you will come up on your screen.

Some textphone tips

People use abbreviations when making a textphone call so it is useful to learn these:

GA ‘Go Ahead’. This is used after the end of each piece of conversation. It tells the other person that you have finished and that it is their turn to type a reply.

BIBI ‘Bye Bye’. This is usually followed by SK.

SK ‘Stop Keying’. This tells the other person that it is the end of your conversation and you want to end the call.

When you get a text reply on your screen, type your response, followed by GA. Your message shows on the other person’s textphone and their reply then appears on your screen. The conversation carries on until one of you types SK and ends the call. You will pick up other useful short forms the more you use a textphone.

If you’re using a textphone to call a voicephone user, you will not be able to connect to them directly. When they pick up the telephone, they will simply hear a pre-recorded message such as ‘Hearing impaired caller, please use a textphone’ or they will just get silence. You need to call them using a ‘relay service’. At the moment, the only national text relay service in the UK is Text Relay. It is operated by the BT service BT TextDirect.

How does Text Relay work?

If you have a textphone and want to contact someone with a telephone, just add a BT TextDirect prefix to the full national, international or mobile number you are calling. Then one of the Text Relay Assistants will join the call to relay text-to-voice and voice-to-text calls.

Use the following codes:

You can store these codes with the full telephone number in some textphones and telephones, so you don’t need to key them in every time. Some textphones have a prefix that dials 18001 automatically so you don’t have to keep doing it. See, "What are the key features of textphones?".

If you are a textphone user calling another textphone user and you do not want a Text Relay Assistant to relay your call, put 180015 in front of the number you are dialling. Even if you connect with a hearing person, a Text Relay Assistant will not join your call. If applicable, you will still receive a rebate on the text part of the call. BT TextDirect also provides network messages in text or voice to let you know if the number you are calling is ringing, busy, or wrong.

You can’t use BT TextDirect to call a UK textphone from abroad. But you can use Text Relay – just dial the international number +44 151 494 2022.

Discounted calls with BT TextDirect

If you are a BT customer you automatically get a 60% discount for the text part of your BT TextDirect calls, whether these calls use a Text Relay Assistant or go from textphone to textphone. This is because textphone calls take much longer than voice calls.

If you call a mobile number from a landline through BT TextDirect, you also get a 20% discount on those calls. BT TextDirect calls are itemised on your telephone bill.

You can’t get a discount for the voice part of calls, international or premium rate calls, or on rental or equipment charges.

BT TextDirect and other telephone companies

Other fixed-line telephone companies should also give you access to a relay service. Virgin Media customers can now also access BT TextDirect. If you are not a BT or Virgin Media customer, ask your telephone company about access to BT TextDirect or an equivalent service and whether they will offer a discount for the text part of calls.

I have used my textphone to call a telephone user. What happens next?

Once callers are connected, they can either type or speak to each other. You can choose to do one of the following three things. You can:

Call the Text Relay Helpline for free advice about using Text Relay. An outreach officer can visit you at home, wherever you live in the UK, to show you how to make and receive calls. This service is also free.

Can I access automated call options?

Many companies have automated call options that give the caller a list of numbers to press to get to the right department. This service can be difficult for Text Relay users to access because the recorded messages don’t give the Text Relay Assistant enough time to type what is being said. Also, the messages don’t leave enough time for the textphone user to make their choice.

If you experience this problem, call the Text Relay Customer Service Team. They can contact the company to tell them that their services aren’t accessible to textphone users.

What if I have problems reading messages?

Sometimes you will be able to read the incoming words, but you will not be able to see your own typing on the screen. If this happens, some phones let you change your ‘local echo’ setting to ON, or select ‘half duplex’. When calling old textphones you may sometimes see each letter you type twice on the screen, like this: HHEELLLLOO. If this happens, change your ‘local echo’ to OFF, or select ‘full duplex’ and save these settings. Doing this usually works well with modern textphones.

If you have problems calling the older Minicom models, such as the Minicom 5, make sure the person answering their textphone places the handset on the textphone before switching it on. For more advice about communication settings, contact the Text Relay Customer Service Team.

What if I need more help with my calls?

You can call Relay Assist. A Text Relay Assistant answers and can help you to make your calls. There are two ways to get help:

Once a Relay Assistant answers your call:

Calls using Relay Assist are charged at BT’s national rate. Relay Assist is available to customers of other telecommunications companies and should be charged at the BT national rate, but confirm this before using Relay Assist. You can’t get a discount on calls made using Relay Assist.

What are the key features of textphones?

Answering facility

Many textphones have a built-in answering facility that records text messages when you aren’t there.

Automatic BT TextDirect prefix dial

Some textphones have an automatic prefix – access code – which can be switched to dial 18001 automatically so you don’t have to do it yourself.

Auto-detection

Some textphones have an auto-detection mode, which finds the most compatible mode of operation. This saves you having to select it manually.

Display screen

All textphones have scrolling display screens, which let you read incoming messages and the text you type during a conversation. The size and quality of the display varies. Most fluorescent displays are large and bright, while LCD (liquid crystal display) screens are smaller, but show more words. Check the screen is big enough for you to read what’s on it.

Guidelines for communication settings

To communicate with another textphone and to make sure the text you send and receive is displayed correctly, check that both textphones have the same communication settings. You can do this through a ‘menu’ or special function key. Most textphones are pre-set with the most popular settings.

Keyboard

Some textphones have full-sized computer or typewriter-type keys while others have small button keys. Generally, full-sized keyboards look bulkier but are easier to use, while the small push button types weigh less but are harder to use.

Message storage

Some textphones can store messages, so if you regularly send the same message, you don’t have to type it in each time. If you have a long message to send during a call, you can also type this into the textphone before the call and use it later.

Number storage

Some textphones let you store frequently used names and telephone numbers.

Printing

Some textphones have a socket to connect to a printer so you can print copies of your conversations. Some even have a built-in printer.

Textphone protocol

This is the technical procedure used to make a textphone call. The most common protocols in the UK are Baudot and V.21. A more recent one is V.18, which is used by BT TextDirect. V.18 was designed to improve compatibility between textphones and more products will use this in the future.

Voice announcer

A voice announcer is a pre-recorded or computer-generated spoken message, which tells a hearing caller they need to use a textphone.

Voice carry over (VCO)

VCO helps you switch between speaking and typing during a call. It’s useful if you are deaf and prefer to use your voice to talk to hearing people, but still need to get their reply in text. Some textphones have this option.

How do I connect my textphone to the telephone network?

When you use some textphones with a standard telephone, you have to put the voice telephone handset on rubber cups or acoustic couplers that are on the textphone. But many textphones connect directly to the telephone line through a standard socket. For these, you will need to use an analogue telephone line. Some textphones also include standard voice telephone features.

Where can I get a textphone?

RNID Products sells a range of textphones. They cost between £100 and £400 depending on which model you buy. You may be able to get help with the cost of a textphone for work or home use, see Can I get help with paying for equipment?. You can also rent them from BT (see Renting a textphone).

Before you buy a new textphone, check that it is compatible with Text Relay.

Renting a textphone

If you are a BT customer, you can now rent the BT textphone for £16 a quarter, including VAT. If you are not a BT customer, you will not be able to rent a textphone. For more information, contact BT.

Exemption from VAT

Deaf people do not normally have to pay VAT when buying a textphone. However, this is not automatic. You will have to fill in a VAT exemption form first, which you should be able to get from the textphone supplier.

Can I use my computer to make textphone calls?

Yes. RNID has developed software that allows you to use your computer as a textphone. It’s called RNID TalkByText. It’s also available to use on mobile phones (see Can I get textphone software for my mobile phone?).

TalkByText for Windows

RNID TalkByText for Windows is a business software program that provides staff with real-time text on their computers. It also lets you hold conversations with landline and mobile textphones. It is useful for organisations that want to be fully accessible to deaf and hard of hearing customers and staff.

TalkByText for Windows can be installed on most recent Microsoft Windows PCs. For more information see the RNID Technology website (external link, opens new browser window).

TalkByText Web Edition

RNID TalkByText Web Edition offers real-time text calls over the internet. It provides a simple way for you to have text conversations from a PC. You do not need to install extra programs to use TalkByText Web Edition; you just use it from your internet browser (for example, Internet Explorer or Firefox). Calls are routed through BT TextDirect, so you can hold a text conversation with a deaf person using a textphone or a hearing person using a telephone.

You can use TalkByText Web Edition almost anywhere that you have internet access. So, you could make real-time text conversations when away from your own computer, or, for instance, from an internet café. For more information and to use the service see the RNID Technology website (external link, opens new browser window).

Can I get textphone software for my mobile phone?

Yes. TalkByText Mobile Edition allows you to have a text conversation on your mobile phone. You may already use your mobile phone to send and receive SMS text messages. Some phones even let you send and receive email and instant messages. Some handsets, like the BlackBerry range, use ‘push-email’, which fetches your email automatically and alerts you by vibrating.

However, if you want to have a text conversation (rather than send messages), it is best if your handset runs mobile textphone software.

As you type, the other person sees each character on their screen almost immediately (just like an ordinary textphone), so there are no long delays and it is easy to interrupt if you want.

When you run the mobile textphone program, you can make text calls to other textphones and you may also be able to receive text calls. If you are deaf it is useful to choose a handset that vibrates when it receives an incoming call. You can also use TalkByText Mobile to contact hearing people on an ordinary phone using BT TextDirect and Text Relay.

RNID TalkByText Mobile can be downloaded free and used on a wide range of mobile handsets, see our factsheet Mobile phones (external link, opens new browser window). More information on TalkByText Mobile and suitable mobile handsets is available online (external link, opens new browser window).

Can I get help with paying for equipment?

You may be able to get help to pay for equipment. Contact the RNID Information Line for more information about the following:

Where can I get further information?

Text Relay Customer Service team

RNID Text Relay Customer Service team
PO Box 284
Liverpool L69 3UZ
Telephone: 0800 7311 888
Textphone: 18001 0800 7311 888.
(Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm. Saturday and Sunday, 9am-5pm)
Fax: 0151 709 8119
Email: helpline@textrelay.org
Website: www.textrelay.org (external link)

Further information from RNID

If you want to find out more about some of the subjects covered in this factsheet, you may find our factsheets Telephones and voice communications and Mobile phones useful. You may also want to look at our leaflet Equipment.

You may also find the following RNID Text Relay publications useful – they are all available from Text Relay (external link, opens new browser window):

RNID Information Line

Our Information Line offers a wide range of information about some of the subjects covered here. Contact us for further copies of this factsheet and our full range of information factsheets and leaflets. You can also contact us to order this factsheet on audio cassette, in Braille or in large print.

RNID Information Line
19-23 Featherstone Street
London EC1Y 8SL
Telephone 0808 808 0123
Textphone 0808 808 9000
Fax 020 7296 8199
Email: informationline@rnid.org.uk  

RNID Products

RNID Products
1 Haddonbrook Business Centre
Orton Southgate
Peterborough PE2 6YX
Telephone 01733 361199
Textphone 01733 238020
Fax 01733 361161
Email: solutions@rnid.org.uk   
Visit RNID online shop (external link, opens new browser window)

Buying equipment from RNID

Visit the RNID online shop (external link, opens new browser window) or contact the Information Line for a copy of our Solutions catalogue, full of products for deaf and hard of hearing people.

BT pl

Contact BT to rent a textphone.

BT plc
PP 303G
Telecom House
Trinity Street
Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5ND
Telephone 08000 857 622
Textphone 08000 857 622
Fax 0800 328 9108
Helpline 0845 601 1545
Email: help@texthelpline.co.uk    
BT Website (external link, opens new browser window)
 
RNID Information, September 2009