Telecommunications Relay Service

TTY Relay (7-1-1)

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) is a telephone service that allows persons with hearing or speech disabilities to place and receive telephone calls. TRS permits persons with a hearing or speech disability to use the telephone system via a text telephone or teletypewriter (TTY) or other device to call persons with or without such disabilities.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted use of the 7-1-1 dialing code for TRS access. (Dialing 7-1-1 works whether or not the person placing the call is using a TTY, since operators who answer use voice and TTY.) TRS is available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories for local and/or long distance calls. TRS providers, usually telephone companies, are compensated for the costs of providing TRS from either a state or a federal fund. Local calls are free. Long-distance calls can be made using any of six (6) billing options.

The State of Tennessee provides a relay service at 7-1-1 so people who use TTYs can have phone conversations with people who do not have TTYs. This service is completely confidential, available to anyone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for calls anywhere in the United States or its territories, at no charge to either person in the conversation.

Alternate numbers for the relay service:

• 800-848-0298 Person with TTY calling someone without TTY
• 800-848-0299 Person without TTY calling someone with TTY

IP Relay

While TRS permits persons with a hearing or speech disability to use the telephone system via a TTY or other device, users are now only a mouse click away from a new relay service option. Internet Protocol (IP) Relay is available to anyone with an Internet connection.

T-Mobile IP Relay Service