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From: rwilliam@grebyn.com (Roger Williams)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Relay Service
Message-ID: <18234@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 20 Mar 91 04:37:46 GMT
References: <18130@bunker.UUCP>
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Reply-To: rwilliam@grebyn.com (Roger Williams)
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Fidonet: Silent Talk Conference

Index Number: 14070

Jack.O'keeffe@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe) writes:

>Index Number: 13970

>I'm currently collecting information on the relay services in the
>various states, and will post the findings here when I have enough
>data to make it worthwhile.
>Any details that SilentTalkers can furnish on the relay service in
>their home state will be appreciated.   Post it here in SilentTalk.

The Virginia Relay Service began operation February 1, 1991. (The
number is 1-800-828-1120 TDD and 1-800-828-1140 Voice).  In
general, it appears to be working out fairly well.  I've used it
several times and have yet to encounter a busy signal or a
"please wait and your call will be answered in turn" message.  On
the other hand, the CAs could maybe use some instruction on
keeping the caller abreast of the progress of the call.  Several
times, I've had to ask "Are you still there?" when the TDD fell
silent for several minutes.

I can state from personal experience that the VRS permits
long-distance calls originating in Virginia to be placed across
state lines.  I haven't had any personal experience in
_receiving_ long distance calls through the VRS across state
lines, but I understand that this can be done.

One problem that has arisen for Northern Virginia residents is
that the VRS will _not_ place a call originating from outside the
state to another non-Virginia destination, even although one or
both callers may be Virginians.  It is quite frequently the case
that a Northern Virginian may work in the District of Columbia (as I
do myself) and needs to make a call to another District of
Columbia or perhaps a Maryland number during the working day.
VRS will not handle such calls and they currently must be made
via nonprofit (and very heavily overworked) volunteer
organizations such as TEDI and Capcom.  The District of Columbia
currently has no plans for establishing a relay system until the
relevant portions of ADA kick in.  Maryland is currently
committed to setting up a relay system, but the thing has become
bogged down in a dispute over how to pay for it (surcharge v.
inclusion in the basic rate).

The bottom line is that even after the District of Columbia and
Maryland both set up relay systems, Washington DC metro area
residents are going to have to remember 3 different numbers.
While this _is_ a considerable improvement over the previous
situation where we had _no_ numbers to remember, it would be nice
if statewide relay systems could set up  reciprocal arrangements
to handle these kinds of calls.

Roger Williams
rwilliam@grebyn.com