CALLING FEATURES

STS (Speech-To-Speech) & HCO (Hearing Carry-Over)

For people with mild to moderate speech difficulties who can hear clearly over a standard telephone, Virginia Relay offers Speech-To-Speech, or STS. Convenient and easy to use, STS requires no typing or special equipment. The feature is ideal for those with speech limitations due to cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, stuttering or traumatic brain injury.

To make an STS call (a Relay Choice Profile is highly recommended for STS users and will streamline the following steps):

  1. Dial 7-1-1 or our dedicated STS number, 1-800-229-5746, to reach Virginia Relay.
  2. Tell the Communications Assistant (CA), “I am an STS user, go ahead.”
  3. After a few moments, you’ll hear, “AT&T Speech-To-Speech Relay Service, CA XXXX, may I have the number you are calling please”?
  4. Use your voice to give the CA the phone number of the person you want to call.
  5. The CA will then ask if you want him or her to play an active or passive role during the call. If you want the CA to play an active role, the CA will repeat everything you say to the other person. When asked to take a passive role, the CA will only intervene or facilitate upon request.

HCO
For people with significant speech disabilities who can hear what is being said over the telephone, there’s Hearing Carry-Over, or HCO. During an HCO call, the person with the speech disability uses a TTY or similar device to type his or her side of the conversation.

To make an HCO call (A Relay Choice Profile is highly recommended for HCO users and will streamline the following steps):

  1. Dial 7-1-1 to reach Virginia Relay.
  2. Wait for “VRC NBR CALLING PLS GA,” to appear on the text screen of your phone. There will be no CA on the line at this point.
  3. Type the phone number you wish to call, followed by “HCO GA.”
  4. Your call will be transferred to a CA whose identification number and gender (“M” for male or “F” for female) will appear on your phone’s display. The CA will then verbally announce that HCO is on.
  5. When the person you are calling answers, you can listen directly to him or her. Once you hear him or her say, “Go Ahead,” type your part of the conversation, followed by “GA.” The CA will then read/voice your typed words to the person you are calling.
  6. The call will continue in this manner until your conversation is finished.