Relay users may dial the access number listed below and provide the CA with the pay-per-call service phone number that they would like to call. Callers are billed directly by the pay-per-call service at the rate specified by that provider. Billing will begin upon connection to the pay-per-call service. To place a relay call to a 900 number, dial: 1-900-230-3324.
TTY callers should dial 9-1-1 or other existing emergency numbers directly in emergency situations. All 9-1-1 centers are equipped to handle TTY calls. Minnesota Relay can process emergency calls, but doing so may result in a delay in getting your call through.
CapTel is an amplified telephone and relay captioning service that allows people who are hard of hearing to see word-for-word captions of their telephone conversation on a bright, easy-to-read display window built into the CapTel phone, while also listening to what is being said using their residual hearing (much like TV captioning). The CapTel user speaks directly to the other person on the call, and the CA transcribes everything the other person says into written text.
To use CapTel relay you must have a CapTel phone.
Two-Line CapTel
Like standard CapTel, two-line CapTel provides live captions of everything the other party says during a phone conversation. With two-line CapTel, the conversation is carried on one telephone line and the captions are provided on the second line. This gives two-line CapTel users the ability to caption any phone call incoming or outgoing at any point in the conversation. Two-line CapTel also supports enhancements that the user has purchased from their telephone service, including call-waiting.
In order to use two-line CapTel you must have a CapTel phone and two telephone lines with separate telephone numbers.
Download Additional Materials
Includes brochures, videos, instructions and forms:
CapTel Brochure on Captioned Telephone Service (if you print this brochure note that it is a bit oversized and will need to be set to "fit to page" in your printer)
Computer (ASCII) users can access Minnesota Relay directly. Set your telecommunications software to the following protocols at speeds ranging from 300 to 2400 baud. (Note: It may be helpful to set your "time out" to 100 seconds.)
8 bits
No parity
1 stop bit
Full Duplex, Chat or Local Echo ON
When calling at a rate of 300 baud, follow the above settings using Half Duplex.
To place a Minnesota Relay call, dial: 7-1-1 or 1-800-627-3529.
HCO allows a person who can hear but who has very limited or no speech capability to make and receive phone calls. Using HCO relay and a specially designed telephone with a text display, an HCO user can listen directly to the voice of the other person on the call and type his/her response to the CA, who voices the response to the other person.
To use HCO relay you must have a TTY and a telephone.
Two-Line HCO
Two-line HCO allows you to use one telephone line for listening directly to the other person, while the second line is used to type your response. This enhanced feature provides a more natural flow of conversation without the pauses of single-line HCO calls.
For two-line HCO you must have two telephone lines with separate telephone numbers.
To place a call using HCO, dial: 7-1-1 or 1-800-627-3529 (voice, TTY, ASCII).
Hearing Carry Over service brochure.
Minnesota Relay allows users to place and receive calls to and from anywhere in the world (using English and Spanish language only).
To place an International Relay call from Minnesota dial: 7-1-1 or 1-800-627-3529 (voice, TTY, ASCII)
To place a relay call from outside the U.S., dial: 1-605-244-1837
Internet Protocol (IP) Relay IP Relay is not a service of Minnesota Relay.
IP Relay is currently under the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
For information on IP Relay go to the Federal Communications Commission website.
The long distance carrier you have chosen for your home service is NOT automatically applied to Minnesota Relay calls. To make sure your long distance relay calls are carried and billed through your existing long distance service or calling plan, it is recommended that you submit a Minnesota Relay Customer Preference form. You may also inform the CA of your preferred long distance carrier prior to placing a long distance relay call.
You must currently have a billing relationship established with the carrier that you indicate as your preferred long distance carrier. If you do not have a billing relationship with the carrier you choose, your relay call may not go through, or you may be billed at a rate that is much higher than you anticipate.
Here is a list of available long distance carriers. You may also contact Sprint 24-hour Customer Service at 1-800-676-3777 (voice, TTY) for a current list of all available long distance carriers. If no carrier is indicated, long distance Minnesota Relay calls will be carried and billed by Sprint.
Billing Options for Long Distance Minnesota Relay Calls
Direct
Collect
Pre-paid calling card
Carrier calling card
Third-party billing
If you do not indicate how you would like your long distance Minnesota Relay call(s) billed, long distance charges will be billed to the number you are calling from.
This service allows telephone calls between a TTY (text-telephone) user and a hearing person. The CA reads the TTY user's words to the hearing person, and types the hearing person's words for the TTY user to read.
To place a Minnesota Relay call, dial: 7-1-1 or 1-800-627-3529 (voice, TTY, ASCII).
You can use Minnesota Relay to place calls to directory assistance (DA). When a relay user requests to call DA, the CA will contact the appropriate DA operator. After obtaining the number, the caller may choose to place the call through Minnesota Relay or to dial the number directly. (Note: DA is often subject to charges by the caller's local service provider.)
This service allows relay users to retrieve voice messages on their answering machine or voice mail.
Minnesota Relay users with low vision who use a TTY equipped with a telebraille or large visual display typically prefer slower typing speeds. During this type of relay call, the CA will type at a normal speed, but the text will come across at a rate of 15 words per minute, allowing for a more readable transmission speed. Users may request to increase or decrease the transmission speed in increments of 5 words per minute.
Minnesota Relay users can make local relay calls from payphones free of charge. Long distance relay calls can be charged to a calling card or prepaid card, by calling collect, or billed to a third party. Coins can not be used to pay for a long distance relay call from a payphone.
The Minnesota Relay Consumer Relations Office provides free presentations and training on Minnesota Relay services. If you would like to schedule a free presentation or training please contact us at 651-602-9005 or 1-800-657-3775 (voice, TTY) or by e-mail at mn.relay@state.mn.us
Spanish Relay allows a Spanish speaking person to use Minnesota Relay. The CA relays calls between a Spanish speaking person with a hearing or speech disability and a Spanish speaking hearing person. To place a Spanish Relay call, dial: 1-877-627-5448 (voice, TTY, ASCII).
STS allows a person who has difficulty speaking or being understood on the telephone to communicate using his or her own voice or voice synthesizer. The CA revoices the words of the person with a speech disability so the other person on the call can understand them. To place a STS call, dial: 1-877-627-3848. For more information download instructions and a brochure here.
If you meet certain eligibility requirements, you may qualify to receive telecommunications equipment at no cost through Minnesota's Telephone Equipment Distribution (TED) Program. The TED Program loans telecommunications equipment to people who are hard of hearing, deaf, deaf/blind, speech disabled or physically disabled. If you do not qualify, TED Program staff can provide you with a directory of vendors where equipment can be purchased.
To contact the TED Program, please call 1-800-657-3663 (voice) / 1-888-206-6555 (TTY), or visit their web site at www.tedprogram.org.
VRS is not a service of Minnesota Relay. VRS is currently under the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). For information on VRS go to the Federal Communications Commission website.
VCO is an option for people who can speak clearly, but have hearing loss significant enough to prevent them from hearing and understanding conversations over the telephone. Using VCO relay and a specially designed telephone with a text display, a VCO user can speak directly to the other person on the call. The CA types what is spoken by the other person for the VCO user to read.
To use VCO relay you must have a TTY and a telephone, or a specially designed VCO phone.
To place a VCO call, dial: 1-877-627-3024 (voice, TTY, ASCII).
Two-line VCO allows you to use one telephone line for speaking directly to the other person, while the second line is used to receive the CA's typed response from the other person. This enhanced feature provides a more natural flow of conversation without the pauses of single-line VCO calls.
In order to use two-line VCO you must have two telephone lines with separate phone numbers and subscribe to 3-way calling from your local telephone service provider. To place a two-line VCO call, dial: 1-866-855-4611 (voice, TTY, ASCII).
Additional information is available below:
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