How to Use Your Phone to Call a Person Who Uses a TTY

Relay North Dakota - Call 711

Telecommunications relay service provides full telephone accessibility, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, to people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled.

Specially trained Communication Assistants (CAs) complete all calls and stay on-line to relay messages either electronically over a teletypewriter (TTY), or verbally to hearing parties. The service known as Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS), is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no restrictions on the length or number of calls placed.

Calling Tips:

Have the phone number ready. Dial 711 and when the CA answers, give him or her the area code and number you want to call. Speak in a slow and clear manner. Direct your conversation to the TTY user as if the CA were absent. The CA will then relay all of your message, word-for-word. Do not direct comments to the CA during your conversation, because these phrases will be relayed as well. When you leave a message you may also want to indicate that you have called through Relay North Dakota.

Sample Dialogue:

Call 711
CA: Relay North Dakota, Agent #1, Go Ahead.*
Caller: Hello. Would you please call John Smith at 701-222-2222?
CA: Please hold while I connect your call ... "Hi, John Smith here. Go Ahead."
Caller: Hi, John, this is Sarah...

*"Go Ahead" is used to indicate the person is done talking and the other party should take their turn.

Relay North Dakota is strictly confidential. All calls will be kept private, and no records of any conversations will be maintained. CAs will not share information regarding the content of any relay call, unless they are required to do so by state or federal law.

For more information about deaf/hard of hearing access issues, contact Disability Services for Students at 777-3425.