SALT LAKE CITY, UT--(Marketwire - Aug 30, 2011) - Currently, 36 million Americans, about 17 percent of the U.S. population, have some degree of hearing loss. With the baby boomers entering their senior years, that number is expected to double by the year 2030.
At a press conference today, Salt Lake City-based Sorenson Communications® announced CaptionCall®, a new service that will benefit millions of Americans with hearing loss. The service is for anyone who has difficulty hearing on the telephone.
Similar to captioned television, CaptionCall uses innovative voice recognition technology and a transcription service to quickly display written captions of what callers say on a large, easy-to-read screen. The free, Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-funded service is delivered through the state-of-the-art CaptionCall telephone, which works like a regular phone. Customers make and receive calls as they always have. All that is required to use CaptionCall is a high-speed internet connection, a standard home phone line and an ordinary home electrical outlet.
"Virtually anyone with hearing loss faces the challenge of communicating by phone," notes Sorenson Communications President and CEO Pat Nola. "The ability to communicate by phone empowers people to stay connected, remain independent and call with confidence. CaptionCall helps keep personal and business relationships alive and vibrant."
CaptionCall facts:
- Callers can keep their current phone number and their phone service carrier with no increase or fees added to their monthly bill.
- CaptionCall conversations are secure through an FCC-regulated, encrypted transcription process.
- CaptionCall offers customized audio with an adjustable ringer and handset volume, similar to an amplified phone. CaptionCall also offers customizable frequency amplification.
- Text size is adjustable so that every word of every call is clearly displayed and can be read (even by those with poor eyesight) on a large display screen.
- CaptionCall offers location flexibility. The CaptionCall phone can be set up using a wired or wireless internet connection.
- CaptionCall is a free service with ongoing customer support.
- CaptionCall is compatible with most hearing aids.
More information about CaptionCall can be found by visiting www.captioncall.com.
CaptionCall
CaptionCall® (www.captioncall.com) is a revolutionary new telephone service for anyone who has trouble hearing on the phone. Similar to captioned television, CaptionCall uses voice recognition technology and a transcription service to quickly provide written captions of what callers say on a large, easy-to-read screen. The CaptionCall phone, combined with the free, FCC-funded service and friendly customer support, helps people everywhere communicate by phone with confidence. CaptionCall is another innovative solution from Sorenson Communications, the worldwide leader in telecommunication relay services.
Sorenson Communications
Sorenson Communications® (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of industry-leading communications services and products for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. The company's offerings include Sorenson Video Relay Service® (SVRS®), the highest-quality video interpreting service; the Sorenson VP-200® videophone, designed especially for use by deaf individuals; Sorenson IP Relay® (SIPRelay), a text-to-speech relay service; ntouch™ PC, software that connects users to SVRS by using a PC and webcam; and ntouch™ Mobile, an application empowering SVRS communication via a mobile device.