Ofcom demands better service for disabled customers

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Regulator reacts to complaints about text relay services by proposing new features

People with disabilities who rely on communication services to make phone calls are set to benefit from new measures being proposed by the communications regulator Ofcom.

By law, communication providers must provide text relay services for phone users with hearing and/or speech impairments. The service allows users to type messages into a textphone, which are delivered by a relay assistant to the recipient. The assistant then converts their reply back to text for the user.

Ofcom research has shown that users found the current communication services slow, with conversations sometimes failing to flow naturally. Under the current service, users have to say "go ahead" after each part of a conversation.

The new features on the text relay service will include allowing users to interject during a conversation, instead of having to wait until the end of a message. They will also allow the service to be accessed on mainstream consumer electronics devices such as PCs and netbooks, in addition to existing relay equipment, such as textphones.

Ofcom's consumer group director, Claudio Pollack, said: "People with disabilities can face barriers when using communications services. Although the wide availability and use of broadband and mobile text services has provided greater opportunities for disabled people to communicate, people with hearing and/or speech impairments continue to meet barriers when using voice telephony.

"The proposed measures aim to reduce these barriers by allowing conversations to flow naturally in real time."

Ofcom is also proposing the introduction of video relay on a restricted basis for registered British Sign Language users. Under the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom has a duty to cater for the needs of disabled people and the elderly.

In May, the regulator introduced an emergency SMS scheme for 14,500 users with hearing and speech impediments to text the details of incidents to the emergency services instead of calling 999.

• Consumer affairs
• Disability
• Telecoms

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Josh Halliday, Mark Sweney 28 Jul, 2011

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/jul/28/ofcom-service-for-disabled-users
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