Relay Colorado Services

Making telecommunication connections possible for all

Relay Services for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and speech-disabled

Relay Colorado is a public service that enables individuals with hearing or speech differences who use a teletypewriter (TTY) or other assistive device to communicate with standard telephone users. 

The conversation is relayed between the two parties by a specially trained Communications Assistant. Relay Colorado is available 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.

Dialing 711 automatically connects you to a Communications Assistant quickly and easily.

Captioned Telephone (CapTel) Service lets you listen and read captions of everything said during your phone calls.

It’s especially helpful for individuals with hearing differences who don’t benefit from amplified phones.

Services for People with a speech disability

Speech to Speech service that allows people who have a Speech Disability to place and receive telephone calls with an assistance from a Communications Assistant.

Remote Conference Captioning

Remote Conference Captioning (RCC) service enables you to actively participate in conference calls, video meetings and webinars. With RCC, you can read live captions via a web browser on your computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device.

This service is designed for individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, or speech-disabled.

There is no cost to use the service for individuals who live or work in Colorado.

Hours

– Monday through Friday: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
– Saturday: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Captioned Telephone Services

Hearing Callers & Businesses

Useful resources for those who do business with consumers who have hearing or speech differences.

Relay Colorado is a no-cost service that allows a hearing individual to use a standard telephone (wired or wireless) to place a relay call and easily converse with an individual who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, or speech-disabled.

Specially trained Communications Assistants (CA) facilitate the calls. Calls can be made 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no restrictions on the number, length, or type of calls.

All calls are strictly confidential; no records of any conversations are maintained. Anyone wishing to use Relay Colorado simply dials the relay number (711) to connect with a CA, who then will dial the requested number and relay the conversation between the two callers.

Relay services are for everyone who has hearing or speech differences, and for those who are hearing to communicate effectively with each other on the telephone.

Helpful Tips for Relay Calls

Tip #1: Voice user profile

When you dial the dedicated Relay Colorado’s voice toll free number, 800-659-3656, you will hear the Voice Response Unit (VRU message) to ensure that you are reaching out to the correct phone number.

If you make frequent calls to Relay Colorado, you can expedite the process in reaching a CA (and bypass the automated recording) by setting up a customer profile.

To set up your customer profile, dial 800-676-3777 to reach the accessibility care team. Simply ask them to set your phone number to default as a “voice user” and you’ll be all set.

Tip #2: Advertising relay on business websites & marketing collateral

Including “just dial 711” on a business website with no additional context can be confusing for customers.

It’s important to provide additional information to ensure those needing the service are prepared with everything they need to make a successful call. Communication Assistants will require your business phone number to complete a relay call.

Below are a few suggested phrases to include on your website. The key here is to INCLUDE your business’s phone number within the message.. Choose one of the 3 examples to add to your website!

• Example #1: “Relay Service for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind or those with a speech disability – please call 711, then provide the CA our company’s number (xxx-xxx-xxxx) to contact us for questions or concerns.”
• Example #2: “For Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind or those with a speech disability please dial 711 then provide our company’s phone number, xxx-xxx-xxxx to complete the relay call.”
• Example #3: “For TTY users (i.e. Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind or have a speech disability) please dial 711 then provide our company’s phone number, xxx-xxx-xxxx to complete the relay call.”

Tip #3:  “Don’t Hang Up” Campaign

If you hear “Relay Colorado CA 1234, may I have the number you are calling please?” do not hang up, this is someone calling through the Relay service.

Thousands of individuals who have hearing or speech loss call businesses and organizations every day through Relay Services. Often, people hang up on relay calls because they think a telemarketer is calling.

When a call comes through saying, “This is Relay Colorado,” it is a call from someone with a hearing loss or a speech disability.

Hang-ups are frustrating for customers with hearing or speech loss. But just as significant, hang-ups mean a loss of business and bad customer relations for the business or organization being called.

Report A Complaint

If you have experienced a hang-up when placing a relay call, you can complete the hang-up incident form online below. Relay Colorado will follow up by sending a brochure, a letter, or by calling the business that is the source of the complaint to explain the relay service.

Help Relay Colorado increase awareness and get the message out about the “Don’t Hang Up” campaign. All information is confidential.