Nevada deploys 711 for hearing-impaired phone relay

Nevada's 13 local telephone companies and more than 600 other telecommunication

providers have agreed to offer 711 dialing for the state's disabled phone

relay system.

The state's Telecommunication Council worked with the companies to have

them set aside 711 for the relay system. The dialing simplifies the relay

system, allowing the same number to be dialed throughout the state.

Through Relay Nevada, operators have 24-hour-a-day access to phone lines

not equipped with TTY services. Hearing-impaired or speech-disabled individuals

use TTY to call the toll-free relay system, and the operator calls the other

phone line, speaking to one person while typing to the other.

Nevada is the fourth state to offer the service — behind Hawaii, Maryland

and Massachusetts. However, no other state had to work with multiple vendors

to set up the special dialing.

The Federal Communications Commission has not mandated 711 dialing,

although it is considering it.