TTY’s are yesterday’s news, so it seems. Practically everyone you know has a videophone. TTY’s have been delegated to the closet, and are a last resort for communication if other means are not successful. However, in spite of all the various relay services accessible via pager, one thing is missing. You are not able to contact your spouse or significant other directly if they are deaf too, or you would just like to talk directly to someone rather than going through relay which can be slow and time-consuming, especially if you are on the road.

Pull out that old TTY, dust it off, and plug it in! You can use your pager to call a TTY directly. (When I say pager, I actually mean cell/mobile/wireless phone, but because we deaf use them as pagers, I’ll continue to refer to them as pagers.) Read on to see a discussion of the various methods, because it is useful to know your options. This knowledge might even come in handy in an emergency.

There are two general ways you can call a TTY directly - either you use a “hardware” TTY device connected directly to your pager, and it uses your wireless plan’s phone minutes; or you use a “software” TTY right on the pager. Let’s cover the hardware first.

There are several specially designed “portable” TTY devices out there that can connect to your pager via a special audio cable that connects the TTY to the pager’s headset jack. The smallest of these was the Krown PocketComm - unfortunately, Krown says they have discontinued this item - but it may still be available in the retail channel. Almost everyone knows about the Ultratec Compact TTY - but did you know it’s been updated with an audio jack that allows it to connect directly to a wireless phone? This model is now known as the Ultratec Compact/C. There are also some “desktop” sized TTY’s that also are capable of connecting to your pager, such as the Ameriphone Q90D.

Unfortunately, there are several issues that make using a “hardware” TTY device with your pager impractical. First of all is the cost. Most of these items are at least $200 or more. You probably spent less than that for your pager. Second, you need to realize that even if you can afford one of these devices, you will also need voice minutes on your pager’s plan. Due to the nature of a TTY conversation, it’s easy to run up a big bill - you don’t get unlimited time like you have with the unlimited data plans when using email or IM. Third, you need to make sure your current pager is TTY-compatible. Those pagers that are advertised TTY-compatible often require you to go into the settings and tweak things to make the pager TTY-compatible. It can be a hassle. Fourth, carrying around a TTY in addition to your pager, additional batteries, the audio cable, etc, can make for a portability nightmare. Fifth, you may be able to make outgoing TTY calls pretty easily, but what about incoming calls? How will you know the call is indeed a TTY call? How fast can you whip out your TTY and get it all hooked up? These are just some things you will need to think about before making the plunge and getting a hardware TTY for your pager. There are some situations where it may be the best option for your needs, such as contacting 911 directly from your TTY/pager.

The more practical alternative is to use a “software” program on your pager that allows you to talk to a TTY directly. The software can be stand-alone and loaded on your pager, or the software can be accessed via your web browser. Lormar Logic may ring a bell for many of you - they were the first to create an email to TTY solution back in the days where everyone deaf had a RIM 850/950. They have honed their product over the years and now have a web page that you can visit on your pager to make a direct TTY call. Lormar has formed a partnership with Hamilton Relay to process their wireless relay calls, and Hamilton has also put up a web page where you can make relay/TTY calls from your pager’s browser. Be aware that there will be a delay in your call due to the overhead processing, but the best part is that these TTY calls can be made for FREE! Lormar Logic also offers two free services allowing TTY callers to contact those on pagers. First is TTY to AIM but this requires a long distance call. Second is TTY to email/SMS, and this too, requires a long distance call. Lormar does offer a paid AIM to TTY service if that type of connection is what you’re looking for.

There is another alternative for those who use a Sidekick or BlackBerry pager - and that is to download the i711 Wireless software, and subscribe to the optional i711 Wireless Toolkit. Subscribing for $9.95 per month makes your Sidekick or BlackBerry capable of sending and receiving live TTY calls. If time is an issue, you will also be able to send a message to a TTY and if someone answers the TTY, they will be able to respond as well. This technology is tested well, because it is provided by the same company who was once the biggest provider of pagers to the deaf, Wyndtell/GoAmerica.

There are some ways you can connect to a TTY from your pager for free, and other methods require a software download and a monthly subscription fee. The software way of connectiong to a TTY is much more convenient, but on the other hand, it does not allow you to contact 911 directly, because the actual phone call is being handled from those services’ calling locations, not from your calling location. Hopefully this guide will help you make the decision as to what sort of TTY connection fits your needs the best. For the occasional call to a TTY, we recommend Lormar Logic’s free services, but if you require the ability to connect to 911 directly, we recommend you get either an Ultratec Compact/C or an Ameriphone Q90D.