What is Utah Video Relay Service?

No.

No.

Under the Americans with Disabilities, all long distance telephone companies are required to pay a percentage of the money that they collect from their subscribers into a national telecommunications relay services fund. This interstate fund is administered by NECA (National Exchange Carriers Association). NECA uses the money in the Interstate Relay Fund to reimburse relay providers for all of the interstate telecommunications relay services that they provide. In addition, that money is used to fund both intra- and interstate VRS.  

Video remote interpreting (VRI) is defined as video interpreting services provided for consumers and/or paid for by customers. Video remote interpreting generally occurs when both parties are in the same location. For example, a hospital or a lawyer can use VRI to communicate with a patient or a client in the same room. The costs for providing VRI are billed on a fee-for-service arrangement.

Video relay service (VRS) is a form of today's telecommunications relay services (TRS), only VRS uses communication assistants that are skilled interpreters to relay calls in sign language, rather than communication assistants to relay calls in text. The goal of VRS as with all TRS calls is to complete calls from two different locations. Consumers are not billed for VRS calls. Rather, payment for the calls come from an interstate fund that is financed by all long distance telephone companies under rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC does not permit reimbursement for VRI, i.e. communications that take place when two people are in the same location. 

You may call any resident of the United States.  

No, you may not use VRS to call directly to another deaf person using sign language. In this situation, you would call the person directly, not through VRS.

We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are open every day all year around. 

Yes, we have professionally-trained interpreters certified by the National Association of the Deaf (Levels 3, 4 and 5); RID (CI-CT/CSC); and/or state certification where applicable, in order to provide quality video interpreting services. Our service has a pool of skilled interpreters with extensive experience in the provision of video interpreting services. 

No, this is a live conversation.  

No, video relay service agents follow telecommunications relay service protocol. This means that the VRS agent is there only to interpret between the two parties. 

We strongly encourage you to dial 911 directly to receive prompt and faster emergency services via TTY or phone. However, if an VRS emergency call reaches the Video Interpreter, the VI will do whatever is necessary to quickly handle the call and pass and relevant information to the emergency agency. We recommend that you verify your address, city and state so that the VRS emergency call can be processed quicker. Please be aware that VRS emergency calls may take longer then dialing 911 directly. 

The new Spanish VRS Operating hours are: Tuesdays from 1pm to 9pm and Thursdays from 9am to 5pm Central Time. CSD offers interpreters who can utilize ASL and speak Spanish. This means that a VRS user signs in ASL to the bilingual Video Interpreter who will speak in Spanish to the Spanish speaking hearing caller and vice versa, the VI will translate the hearing caller's Spanish message back to the VRS user in ASL.

How to Use Video Relay Service?

1. Click on “SIGN ME UP!”
2. Make sure you fill in all of the appropriate fields.
3. Once your submitted form is approved, you can immediately log in using the username and password that you entered. (No need to wait for confirmation e-mail.)
4. An e-mail will be sent to your e-mail address shortly to confirm your username and password.

1. Enter your Utah ID and password, then click “Login.”
2. You can either choose from your Frequently Dialed Numbers list or enter the number you wish to call.
3. Click “Place Call Now.”  

1. Simply click the “X” box, located on the top right corner of your screen.
2. A screen will pop up, asking if you want to continue the call. Click “NO.”  

1. Tell the hearing person initiating voice calls to give Video Interpreter (VI) the IP address of the Deaf person to make video call.
2. You need to be logged on to receive video calls from hearing persons.

1. Go to the web site address .
2. Tell the video interpreter your phone number and the number you want to call.
3. The video interpreter will call you back, then call the person you want to talk to.
4. The person you are calling will be able to hear your voice.
5. The video interpreter will sign everything the hearing caller is saying to you.

Why Use Video Relay Service?

Video relay service (VRS), is an exciting new supplement to the traditional TTY relay service, also provided by Utah. The new service provides American Sign Language users with an attractive alternative that offers them the opportunity to communicate by video conferencing, using their native language, which may be preferred over the traditional TTY relay service.

The benefits of using VRS include:

• Enabling the ASL user to communicate in his/her native language.
• Vastly increased communication speed.
• Enhanced communication, with use of facial expression
  and body language cues.
• Removal of communication barriers for slow typists and/or
  exclusive ASL users.
• Ability to make interruptions.
• Ability to work efficiently with automated telephone transfer systems.
• Functional equivalency of making phone calls.  The FCC strongly encourages the use of video interpreting service throughout the United States.

MORE HELP

Please follow the steps below in order until your video starts to work. Before you begin, it is important that you are:

• Only running one video program at a time. Cameras can only be used by one application at a time. To use your camera with Microsoft Netmeeting be sure to completely shutdown other cam programs.
• Check your camera connection. Wires move and adjust, so be sure that the connection from your camera is properly inserted into the computer.
• Restart your computer. If you are having a problem shut down Microsoft Netmeeting and restart your computer. This is simple thing to do that often easily solves the problem.

Troubleshooting Step 1 - Select a Camera Driver

Some cameras install more than one driver on your computer. If your camera is not working, try using one of the alternative drivers. A driver is a software application provided by the camera manufacturer that runs the camera. To test the different driver choices:

1. Open the Microsoft Netmeeting window: Go to Tools --> Options ' Video.
2. Click the Video Camera Properties Icon's menu.
3. If there is more than one camera listed in the Camera Names box, select from the list until you see the video appear in the self-view of the Microsoft Netmeeting interface.

Move on to Step 2 if you do not have more than one driver or your problem isn't solved.

Troubleshooting Step 2 - Update Camera Drivers

Camera Drivers are vital to making your camera work and getting the best video performance. Manufactures often update the driver software for your cameras, so don't become obsolete so quickly. While, it is great your camera will work for a long time, it is up to you to get the most current drivers and install them.

The most up-to-date camera drivers can be found on your manufacturers website, usually under the support section.

 

Troubleshooting - Gatekeeper not found

uncheck everything in ADVANCED tab on the general page in TOOLS OPTIONS

• Right-click on one of the Microsoft® NetMeeting® windows
  on the call center screen.
• Select "Properties".
• Click on the "Video" tab.
• Check the box "Automatically send video at the start of each call" and the box "Automatically receive video at the start of each call".

  or to start sending video without permanently changing the options:

• Right-click on the right Microsoft® NetMeeting® window on the call center page.
• Uncheck the "Pause" item on the drop-down menu. 

Click here and fill out the form.  An e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address under the profile that you specify.  

Possible factors such as:

• Internet traffic
• Bad connections between sites
• Inappropriate lighting
• Inappropriate background

Possible Solution: Try checking your Current bandwidth.
Note: (A minimum 200 kbits/sec is required for clear video quality.)

Click here and fill out the form.  An e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address under the profile that you specify.  

Why is my camera frame rate inconsistent with a cable modem?

• In cable modem set-up, a "node" is given to the immediate neighborhood by the Internet Service provider (ISP).  During peak home usage time, typically during evening time on on the weekdays after most arrived home from work, get on line to check their e-mail, etc. The Internet traffic becomes high and the node becomes bottlenecked, causing Internet transmission speed to suffer for everyone who is on the node.  In other words, "rush hour".

Why do I have a not-acceptable camera frame rate using DSL in an office building?

• When multiple users share a single DSL line, the high-memory demands of video traffic is not met.  Contact the appropriate authorities, sure as the Information Technology Department in your company/organization/building or the Internet Service Provider to explore the possibility of getting a dedicated DSL line, or get a DSL line shared with only a few non-video users.