Hamilton Relay Awarded California Telecommunications Service Contract

February 2010

Editor: California has just rebid its Telecommunications Service Contract, and has selected Hamilton Relay as one of the providers. Here's the press release from Hamilton

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Agreement Showcases Superior Relay Technical Services and Customer Service for People Who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind or Speech Disabled.

Hamilton Telephone Company d/b/a Hamilton Telecommunications announced today that they have been selected as one of two new Telecommunications Relay Service providers for the State of California. After a stringent competitive proposal process, the State of California chose Hamilton Relay to provide free telecommunications services that make telephone connections possible between people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled and people who use standard phones. Hamilton will begin providing service starting on June 2, 2010.

"For the first time, we are launching our unparalleled relay service in the state of California. Our goal is to provide a relay service that is technically advanced, fast and easy to use," says Dixie Ziegler, vice president of Hamilton Relay. "What sets us apart is that every call is processed by a Hamilton Relay professional - not a computer. Our employees are passionate about serving our users and dedicated to advancing this critical free service. By choosing Hamilton Relay, users are making a choice to associate with a company that is committed to personalized customer service and to supporting people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled to conduct business and stay in touch with friends and family."

Relay users in California will be able to choose their service provider. Relay users will be encouraged to complete a customer profile to establish calling preferences, greetings, select a long distance provider, and more.

"The State of California chose Hamilton Relay because they are telecommunications innovators and are known for their customer service," stated Jonathan Lakritz, Manager of the California Public Utilities Commission's Communications Division, which has oversight of the State of California's Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program "We are very excited to bring this feature-rich technology to Californians and think it will be a great success."

The relay service for California allows individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled to communicate with standard telephone users. Through the use of specialized equipment, relay users communicate freely with friends, family and businesses.

When a call is placed through the California Relay Service (CRS), a Communication Assistant (CA) relays the conversation by voicing typed text to the standard phone user, and by typing everything that is spoken to the relay user. The CA acts as an invisible link between the parties and all calls are kept strictly confidential.

The California Relay Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by consumers dialing either "7-1-1" or the toll-free access number for each specific relay service. Existing toll-free access numbers will remain in effect. There is no charge to use the California Relay Service; however, long distance charges do apply.

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