And they are not the only ones. Business owners are learning more about the free public service as well, in hopes of increasing their clientele and connecting with Relay users over the phone.

Part of the Nevada Office of Disability Services, Relay Nevada allows people with hearing or speech loss to carry on a conversation with any standard phone user. Nevada has approximately 7,000 residents who are deaf and 70,000 who are hard of hearing. To make a Relay Nevada call, the person with a hearing or speech disability uses a text telephone that allows people with hearing or speech loss to type their side of the conversation and read the other party's response on their phone's text screen.

Once the Relay Agent dials the number provided and a connection is made, he or she voices the Relay user's side of the conversation and types the words spoken by the standard phone user, relaying the conversation back and forth.

Relay Nevada is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no limit on the number or length of calls a user may make. All calls are strictly confidential, and no records of any conversations are kept. What is more, anyone can make a Relay Nevada call, simply by dialing 711.

For individuals with other speech and hearing needs, Relay Nevada offers an array of user-friendly features, including voice carryover, for people who can speak clearly, yet have hearing loss significant enough to keep them from understanding what is being said over a standard telephone; speech-to-speech, for individuals with mild-to-moderate speech difficulties; and hearing carryover, for those with significant speech disabilities. Spanish speaking individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can take advantage of Relay Nevada's Spanish translation services.

To learn more about Relay Nevada, visit www.relaynevada.com or call 1-800-339-7113. Free presentations on Relay technology are also available by contacting this number.

From Pahrump Valley Times