Ofcom has announced that fixed-line and mobile network providers in the UK must offer a new ‘next generation’ text relay service to all customers who require it within the next 18 months.
The current text relay service service, which is available to people with hearing and speech impairments, involves an assistant who converts speech to text and vice versa for two people having a conversation. However, it can be slow and offers little opportunity for a genuine ‘real time’ conversation.