AT&T unleashes Real Time IM Relay for the hearing impaired
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Sep 28th 2009 9:09PM
posted Sep 28th 2009 9:09PM
As our hearing impaired readers are no doubt aware, AT&T has been offering its Instant Messaging Relay service since early this year, allowing folks to use AIM to communicate through an operator over the telephone in a manner similar to TDD devices. Now the company has announced an upgrade to the service that will allow real-time communication between callers. Instead of waiting for the relay operator to input long strings of text, users receive the messages word by word as they're typed. "To hearing users, this may sound like a trivial enhancement," said Claude Stout, Executive Director of TDI. "But for many callers with hearing or speech disabilities, this creates a wireless and online communications experience that is much closer to what hearing people encounter when talking with others on the phone." Except, you know, with more emoticons and LOLs.
AT&T Premieres Real Time IM Relay for Customers With Hearing and Speech Loss
As Part of its Commitment to Serving Customers with Disabilities, AT&T Is First Provider to Enhance IM Relay Services
DALLAS, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For people with hearing and speech loss, communicating with callers who can speak and hear just went real time, thanks to AT&T* and AOL's AIM® instant messaging service. Customers using AT&T IM Relay services now have a new, faster feature at their fingertips: AT&T Real Time IM. AT&T is the first and only provider to offer the new real time feature -- offering more than 31 million people with hearing and speech loss, nationwide, a more immediate way to communicate with standard telephone users.
Users log in to a specialized AIM interface that works with an Internet connection on a PC and on many wireless devices. A specially-trained relay operator reads IMs to hearing callers and types IMs which are displayed -- in real time -- to the end user. The new service is offered at no additional charge to customers who register with AT&T Relay Services.
With the new real time IM feature, instead of waiting for the relay operator to type a full phrase or sentence, IM users can see the text messages they are receiving, word-by-word as they are typed -- making conversations feel more like calls experienced by hearing customers.
"To hearing users, this may sound like a trivial enhancement," said Claude Stout, Executive Director, TDI. "But for many callers with hearing or speech disabilities, this creates a wireless and online communications experience that is much closer to what hearing people encounter when talking with others on the phone. TDI applauds such collaboration between industry players that results in greater functional equivalency for deaf and hard of hearing consumers."
TDI recently honored AT&T with the 2009 James C. Marsters Promotion Award for providing innovative products and services that address the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
To access the service, using an Internet connection and an AIM account, AT&T IM Relay users can IM the phone number they're calling to the screen name "attrelay." AT&T IM Relay customers are assigned a typical 10-digit phone number, like any other wireless or landline customer, that others can use to contact them.
"It's great to see AT&T leading the way as the first IM Relay provider to offer real time services," said Senior Vice President, Global Messaging, David Liu, AOL. "This generates added value for customers who rely on the service to keep them connected with friends, family, and business contacts. And, it means that conversations flow more naturally, and move more quickly for the parties on both sides of the conversation."
Calling Services for People with Hearing and Speech Loss
Launched in early 2009, AT&T IM Relay is one of three calling services offered to customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability.
"At AT&T, we know that people with disabilities rely on our services to empower them and help them live independently," said Susan A. Johnson, senior vice president, customer information services, AT&T. "Going back as far as Alexander Graham Bell, we have focused on this, and we continue to innovate these specialized services as part of that vast legacy. We care about providing a valuable customer experience, and we hope that the customers using this new service -- and the many others we offer -- know that it's a big part of who we are and what we do as a communications provider."
AT&T's Continued Commitment: Accessible Service to All
The new real time feature is one of a number of AT&T initiatives that address making services available to people with disabilities and senior citizens, for example:
For more information on AT&T Real Time IM Relay, go to www.att.com/relay, or visit http://relayservices.att.com for information on any of AT&T's calling services for customers with disabilities.
For more information on AT&T's commitment to people with disabilities and seniors at our Disability Resources website.
As Part of its Commitment to Serving Customers with Disabilities, AT&T Is First Provider to Enhance IM Relay Services
DALLAS, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For people with hearing and speech loss, communicating with callers who can speak and hear just went real time, thanks to AT&T* and AOL's AIM® instant messaging service. Customers using AT&T IM Relay services now have a new, faster feature at their fingertips: AT&T Real Time IM. AT&T is the first and only provider to offer the new real time feature -- offering more than 31 million people with hearing and speech loss, nationwide, a more immediate way to communicate with standard telephone users.
Users log in to a specialized AIM interface that works with an Internet connection on a PC and on many wireless devices. A specially-trained relay operator reads IMs to hearing callers and types IMs which are displayed -- in real time -- to the end user. The new service is offered at no additional charge to customers who register with AT&T Relay Services.
With the new real time IM feature, instead of waiting for the relay operator to type a full phrase or sentence, IM users can see the text messages they are receiving, word-by-word as they are typed -- making conversations feel more like calls experienced by hearing customers.
"To hearing users, this may sound like a trivial enhancement," said Claude Stout, Executive Director, TDI. "But for many callers with hearing or speech disabilities, this creates a wireless and online communications experience that is much closer to what hearing people encounter when talking with others on the phone. TDI applauds such collaboration between industry players that results in greater functional equivalency for deaf and hard of hearing consumers."
TDI recently honored AT&T with the 2009 James C. Marsters Promotion Award for providing innovative products and services that address the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
To access the service, using an Internet connection and an AIM account, AT&T IM Relay users can IM the phone number they're calling to the screen name "attrelay." AT&T IM Relay customers are assigned a typical 10-digit phone number, like any other wireless or landline customer, that others can use to contact them.
"It's great to see AT&T leading the way as the first IM Relay provider to offer real time services," said Senior Vice President, Global Messaging, David Liu, AOL. "This generates added value for customers who rely on the service to keep them connected with friends, family, and business contacts. And, it means that conversations flow more naturally, and move more quickly for the parties on both sides of the conversation."
Calling Services for People with Hearing and Speech Loss
Launched in early 2009, AT&T IM Relay is one of three calling services offered to customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability.
- AT&T Video Relay Service (VRS), offered since 2003, uses a high speed Internet connection and a web camera or video phone to connect users via a Video Interpreter. This allows users to experience facial expressions and gestures on both ends of the conversation and provides a natural fit for the use of sign language.
- AT&T TTY Relay Service, offered since 1987, uses a special device that connects to a standard phone line and includes a keyboard and screen to display messages. It relies on a Communication Assistant to connect calls to standard voice users.
"At AT&T, we know that people with disabilities rely on our services to empower them and help them live independently," said Susan A. Johnson, senior vice president, customer information services, AT&T. "Going back as far as Alexander Graham Bell, we have focused on this, and we continue to innovate these specialized services as part of that vast legacy. We care about providing a valuable customer experience, and we hope that the customers using this new service -- and the many others we offer -- know that it's a big part of who we are and what we do as a communications provider."
AT&T's Continued Commitment: Accessible Service to All
The new real time feature is one of a number of AT&T initiatives that address making services available to people with disabilities and senior citizens, for example:
- AT&T offers wireless solutions for customers with vision disabilities, such as Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier, Braille and large print billing, and free voice dial using 8*.
- AT&T offers data-only plans for customers who don't need voice services. For qualifying customers calling via landlines, AT&T offers free local directory assistance (dialing 411)*.
- AT&T operates dedicated customer care centers to assist people with disabilities such as the National Center for Customers with Disabilities for AT&T Mobility and the AT&T Sales and Service Centers for Disability and Aging for AT&T's landline customers. These centers can arrange for an alternate billing format such as Braille or large print and can advise customers with hearing, vision, mobility and/or speech disabilities about equipment, accessories, features and calling plans.
- AT&T has launched a comprehensive training program to help employees interact more effectively with customers in these communities. More than 183,000 technicians, retail store and customer care representatives will be trained this year.
- AT&T has activated the AT&T Advisory Panel on Access and Aging (AAPAA), a panel that works to help AT&T better understand the needs of customers. The panel provides advice and counsel to AT&T's subsidiaries, affiliates, leadership, and external industry leaders and advocacy groups regarding the products AT&T offers.
For more information on AT&T Real Time IM Relay, go to www.att.com/relay, or visit http://relayservices.att.com for information on any of AT&T's calling services for customers with disabilities.
For more information on AT&T's commitment to people with disabilities and seniors at our Disability Resources website.
Awesome, now twelve year olds can make their profanity laced prank calls in real time, and Nigerian scammers can utilize stolen credit cards numbers without delay!
Who cares!? THE APPLEZ STORE IS DOWN!!! ZOMG!!
AT&T Story -----> Apple Store comments..
omg :(
Well I'm just surprised that any of the Engadget staff, being Apple whores, haven't already posted an article about this.
Have you been missing for the past month of Zune HD coverage where the iPod Touch has been slammed down to the floor and devoured by the editors?
Thats pretty cool I guess. On a unrelated note, did anyone else notice that the apple store is down?
actually, to those of us in the deaf community, its simply stepping up the usefulness of cell phones to that of landlines (ie CapTel).
and its rather insulting that it has taken them this long to do it. let alone the fact that many companies still wont allow us to video conference (using our primary language, ASL) over 3G.
you're deaf?no offense, but that' awesome
i mean awesome that you can get around just as well as hearing people sometimes better and you can use sign language. awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVwDieyXsBY
What's with the big SHOW PRESS RELEASE button?
Is this new, or have links like that always been used on Engadget?
Awesome. I'm annoyed it took this long though.
LMAO!! Me and an ex GF used to have phone sex using a service like this.. you know.. for the lulz... after a certain point they would put a supervisor on the line :P
Here's more info on the Real Time AIM stuff: http://tap.gallaudet.edu/text/aol/
I hate TDD. The few times I have ever used it, the person has also been an idiot as well as deaf. People would call the where I worked and just have the operator ask the same bunch of questions over and over. I would eventually hang up.
I'll tell you from my experience as a relay operator you are more than likely the idiot. A little patience goes a long way with relay.
Another note: Internet Relay is about 30% real calls 70% fake calls. I feel sorry for the AT&T relay operators.
what ??
It's not new or first time you may now aware that IM relay have been introduce quite time ago, start with IP-Relay and Hamilton Relay offer Type Relay Service (TRS) with Instant Messaging
A step in the right direction. Now if they'd just shorten 'Hearing Impaired' to 'Deaf' we'd be better off. My hearing's hardly impaired, it's perfectly fine for me. I'm happy when I don't hear all the Apple fanboi's derailing this comment thread.
Thanks Engadget for reporting this. Now if you could haggle Netflix about adding close-captioning/ subtitles to their streaming software, the hearing-impaired & deaf community would finally feel human.
Hulu has close-caption.
On SOME things, not everything. Clips, for example, even those taken from captioned episodes, lack captions.
ATT isn't really doing anything new here. Relay through AIM has been around for quite a while for the deaf community. You just IM MyIPRelay.
as someone thats worked in call centers and had to work through relay operators, some of which were not good at our job and made the entire experience frustrating for both me and the hearing impaired person on the other end, I welcome this
Just an FYI to the editors of Engadget, "hearing impaired" is considered a derogatory and somewhat insulting term by some members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. In fact, those are the most proper and commonly accepted terms: deaf or hard-of-hearing.