Hi Amy-

I just made a “phone call” to myself, using my BlackBerry-

I found the info on this website

(I went to this website www.ttycall.com on my work BlackBerry, then used it to call my home number.)

Just to clarify- this isn’t really a TTY call… it’s really a relay call, (like internet relay). I went onto the internet on my BlackBerry.

Even though it was possible to do, it was really cumbersome- the web page has to keep refreshing several times during the conversation – you can’t type while the page is refreshing. (Also, you have to scroll up and down between the tiny text field that you are writing in, and the operator’s response to you. It was possible, but it would be difficult for a longer conversation.

Even though this service itself was free, if you chose to use a BlackBerry with the internet (or any cell phone with internet connectivity) you would have to pay extra for a data plan. (When I looked into getting my own personal BlackBerry, getting a data plan was an extra $40 per month…)

It seems like it would be safer to use a regular portable TTY. (If you can’t get an internet connection on your cell phone, you won’t be able to make a cell phone call.)

So, just to clarify-

1. If you are using a stand-alone cell phone with a Qwerty keyboard to make a relay call, you are actually doing it through an internet connection (It’s not a true phone call)

2. If you are using a cell phone with a portable TTY, it really is a phone call.

If the issue is price- considering that you would have to pay for a data plan, over the long haul, the portable tty would be cheaper. (If the person wanted to send emails while on the road, it might be worthwhile to invest in a data plan.)

Margaret Cotts

From: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Amy Roman
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 3:25 PM
To: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Assistive Technology] AAC and Cell Phones

Hi,

Does anyone know if it is possible to use a TTY enabled cell phone with a keypad to make TTY assisted calls without a separate portable TTY device?

This website lead one of my clients and I to think perhaps the technology exists but we have not been able to locate it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?TTY-Relay-Service-Your-Cell-Phone-And-Computer&id=675869

The author never wrote us back, TTY folks tell us to talk to the phone people and the phone people at Verizon and other cell phone companies know nothing of TTY.

Thanks!!

Amy

Sincerely,

Amy Roman, MS, CCC-SLP
Augmentative Communication Specialist

Forbes Norris ALS Research Center
2324 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
P (415)600-1263
F (415)673-5184

CONFIDENTIAL OR PRIVILEGED: This communication contains information
intended only for the use of the individuals to whom it is addressed
and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or exempt from other disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended
recipient, you are notified that any disclosure, printing, copying,
distribution or use of the contents is prohibited. If you have
received this in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone or by returning it by reply email and then permanently deleting the communicationfrom your system.
Thank you.