Telephone service gives new voice to the deaf

The use of new telecommunications powers has finally brought one disabled group in from the cold, writes PETER FOGARTY*.

Life has been changed dramatically for the deaf and hearing- or speech-impaired by the Government's announcement that a telephone relay service will be established. The decision comes after 25 years of lobbying by deaf and disabled activists.

A telephone relay service is a simple technology that enables people who cannot speak or hear to make phone calls to those who can. Deaf and hearing- or speech-impaired people will use a special keyboard, a teletypewriter (TTY), which connects to a standard telephone, to type to an operator at a specialised call centre. The operator reads out the written words and transcribes the spoken reply to text which callers then read on their TTYs.

This service has been remarkably swift and practical overseas. In New Zealand the deaf have used TTYs to call one another since 1982, but it was impossible to communicate with anyone who did not have a TTY of their own. Also, most deaf people could not afford a TTY because of the poverty created by the business community's inability to integrate them into society.

The devices were also more expensive to use than normal telephony because it takes about three times longer than a spoken conversation to transmit the same information.

When Telecom took over the public telephone system in 1986, several submissions were made on improving access to telecommunications for the deaf. These included reduced costs for toll calls, a relay service, TTY rentals, and access to emergency services. Telecom ignored all these submissions.

Four years later, its marketing manager said the company was in business to make a profit, and would not subsidise these services.

In 1989, fax machines became widespread and affordable. The deaf rapidly adopted faxes because they were cheaper than TTYs for toll calls.

When the internet became popular, the deaf shifted to email and instant messaging, and now use these to communicate with one another and the hearing community.

This remains unsatisfactory because most deaf people still have to wait to get a response to their emails or faxes, while a telephone call gets an immediate reply. This is very important when emergency services and businesses are concerned.

The Human Rights Commission received two complaints from deaf people, Kim Robinson in 1995 and Victoria Manning in 1997. They claimed that Clear (now TelstraClear) and Telecom were in breach of sections 44 and 65 of the Human Rights Act because they directly and indirectly discriminated against the deaf and the hearing- or speech-impaired by refusing to provide a relay service to access voice telephony.

The telecommunications companies' response was that they had no obligation to provide a new service, that their provision of voice telephony required an ability to hear and that there was no incentive to provide a relay service for so few people.

Last December, the Human Rights Commission found that Telecom, TelstraClear and Vodafone were in breach of the human rights charter by refusing to provide a telephone relay service.

Now, the Government has announced the compulsory establishment of a telephone relay service by the end of the year as a telecommunications service order under the Telecommunications Act.

This act requires telecommunications companies to provide the services defined and negates all the arguments the telecommunications companies had against their provision of a relay service.

"All citizens need access to instant two-way voice communication, not only in an emergency, but to participate fully in the community, which is a fundamental principle of the New Zealand disability strategy," said the Government.

Millions of calls will be made with the relay service. A total of 204,700 people were identified at the last census as having some hearing loss. Of these, the Deaf Association says, about 8000 identify as deaf.

There is also a large number of people with speech impediments. This number is easily trebled by including the hearing people who cannot contact the deaf and hearing- or speech-impaired people because of the lack of a relay service.

The Fitzgerald Report commissioned by the Government in 1999 estimated that 14,000 people would use this service. However, this figure does not include the hearing family, friends and colleagues who will also use the service to contact the deaf and hearing- or speech-impaired. The relay service will enable all these people to communicate more easily.

I am deaf. We will now be able to make emergency calls, call for pizza, and invite friends over. We will be able to apply for jobs where only a phone number is given.

We will not be refused work because we cannot use a phone. We will be given a voice after being silenced for too long.

The Government has finally and ensured our right to full participation in the community.

* Peter Fogarty is a freelance writer and editor.