Memorandum

To : Consumers and Professionals Interested in Speech to Speech

From : Bob Segalman, Ph.D.

Founder of Speech to Speech

Date : March 1, 2004

Subject : Annual Report on National Speech to Speech Call Volume

REPORT ON SPEECH TO SPEECH CALL VOLUME FOR 2002

This report describes the number of telephone calls that were made using Speech to Speech (STS) in the United States during the year 2002. STS provides communication assistants (CAs) for people who have difficulty being understood by the public on the telephone. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, D.C. regulates relay service and has required that all states provide STS since 2001. STS is also available in Australia and parts of Sweden. Germany just completed an initial trial of the STS system.

STS is still in its infancy and growth is needed in order for the full potential to be achieved. The premise of this report is that the more consumer recruitment and training (outreach) that is done the faster STS will grow. To validate that premise, call volume data were requested from the relay or public utilities commission in each state.

The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) is very grateful to everyone who provided STS call volume data for your state. The Department encourages each of you to publicize STS in your respective states and to arrange funding of consumer training programs. People with speech disabilities need to know how helpful STS can be to them and how it can improve their quality of life.

In January of 2003, requests were sent by e-mail and regular mail to all 50 states asking for the STS call volume for 2002. The requests explained that:

(A) This information would provide feedback on how often STS is used nationwide and

(B) Call volumes for individual states would not be identified. These call volumes would simply be used to give a general picture of STS nationwide.

Relays and PUCs were contacted in all 50 states. Responses were received from 33 states. Of the 33 states responding, 27 states provided STS data; 6 states provided no data because of confidentiality. Although relays and PUCs were contacted in 17 other states, no responses were received.

The available data are very helpful and will be used to track STS call volumes in the future. Call volume data for 2003 should be sent to the address at the bottom of this report. In early 2005, you will receive the 2003 annual report which compares data from 2002 and 2003. Even if your state did not send call volume for 2002, your 2003 data are still welcome and needed.
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