Voice Carry Over (VCO) lets individuals with a hearing loss continue to use their own voice on the telephone.

Ultratec’s technology of VCO gives people the ability to speak directly to the person they are calling, then read that person”s response on their TTY or Uniphone display. No more straining to hear the response, or asking people to repeat themselves. Because you can read their words, the meaning comes through loud and clear every time. And the conversation maintains a personal, natural feeling, because people are using their own voice.

We will no longer be carrying the Crystal Tone Plus Telephone. The following products are alternative options to offer your customer.

Clarity XL-50

Your first option is the Clarity XL-50. This unit has been upgraded to 60dB. It has 11 memory dials, a bright visual ringer, a ringer that can go up to 95dB and tone control. You can default the boost to on or off. The buttons are backlit when you pick up the handset.

Serene Innovation HD-60

Another comparable telephone is the Serene Innovation HD-60. This unit goes up to 55dB, has 12 memory dials, a 95dB ringer, a bright visual ringer and tone control. On the bottom of the unit you can choose a default so the boost will automatically be on when you pick the phone up. There is also a visual alert and loud warning if the phone is not hung up completely.

Serene Innovation HD-60J

The third option is the Serene Innovations HD-60J. This unit has jumbo buttons for anyone visually impaired. It goes up to 55dB, has a 95 dB loud ringer as well as 2 visual ringers. There is tone control and 3 one touch memory buttons as well as 10 two touch memory dials. It has a loud and a visual warning if the phone is not hung up completely. There is a default button on the bottom of the unit that allows you to leave the boost on when you hang up if you choose.

Fanstel Model ST150

Fourth option is one of the new Fanstel phones Model ST150. This phone amplifies up to 50dB, and has a conference grade speakerphone. It digitally adjusts frequency-specific volume levels so that any user, especially those exposed to harsh noisy environments, can comfortably and clearly hear a caller’s voice. It boasts highly flexible sound settings: incoming voices may be amplified by up to 50 dB with extra amplification for high frequencies. This level of amplification has been tuned to more effectively restore the perception of many phonemic distinctions common in speech than competing models. It has a 2.5mm & RJ22 Headset jack, and a large backlit LCD.

TTY stands for Text Telephone (or Teletypewriter for the Deaf). It is also sometimes called a TDD, or Telecommunication Device for the Deaf. TTY is the more widely accepted term, however, as TTYs are used by many people, not just people who are deaf.

Photo of someone using a TTY A TTY is a special device that lets people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired use the telephone to communicate, by allowing them to type messages back and forth to one another instead of talking and listening. A TTY is required at both ends of the conversation in order to communicate.

To use a TTY, you set a telephone handset onto special acoustic cups built into the TTY (some TTY models can be plugged directly into a telephone line). Then, type the message you want to send on the TTY’s keyboard. As you type, the message is sent over the phone line, just like your voice would be sent over the phone line if you talked. You can read the other person’s response on the TTY’s text display.

Photo of a TRS operatorIf you don’t have a TTY, you can still call a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired by using the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS). With TRS, a special operator types whatever you say so that the person you are calling can read your words on his or her TTY display. He or she will type back a response, which the TRS operator will read aloud for you to hear over the phone. Toll free TRS services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Related Links:

AboutTTY.com

Teleprinter

1. Start by setting the Tone control in the middle between the “Low” and “High” settings.
2. Make sure the Volume control is in the middle between the “Low” and “High” settings.
3. Place a call.
4. Press the VOL button to turn on amplification.
5. As you listen to the person on the other end of the line, experiment by slowly increasing the Volume setting. Also, try moving the Tone control slightly toward the “Low” or “High” settings. You need to set this only once. Every time you press the VOL button, the CrystalTone will use these settings.

NOTE: Some hearing aids may be sensitive when high-frequency sounds are ampified. If you experience a “crackling” sound, please try the following:

• Move the Tone control slightly toward “Low” until the crackling stops.
• Move the Volume control slightly toward “Low” until the crackling stops.
• Change the Crystal Tone switch to the “B” setting to reduce high-frequency amplification. Then, repeat the steps above.(This switch is located on the bottom of your phone.)

Amplified Telephones increase the volume of a traditional telephone call, helping you to understand more clearly over the phone. To help you choose the right amplified phone for you (or your loved one), here are some factors to consider:

Volume Level

Amplified Phones can increase the volume of the caller’s voice anywhere from 20dB to 50+dB. Some people will need just a little amplification, while others may benefit from higher volume levels. The best bet is to select a phone that has adjustable volume control, letting you set it to the volume that works best for you.

Tone Control

In addition to increasing the volume, some amplified phones allow you to adjust the “tone” of the incoming sound. This enhances high (or low) sound frequencies, such as the voice of women or young children, making it easier to hear those frequencies that you may have difficulty with. Tone control also filters out background noises. Because each individual’s needs will be different, look for an amplified phone that offers adjustable tone control.

Hearing-Aid Compatibly

If you are a hearing aid user, make sure that the handset of the amplified phone is hearing aid compatible. Our knowledgable sales team can provide helpful tips and instructions for the best way to use amplified telephones with your hearing aids.

Flexibility

Some amplified phones are designed to meet a specific type of hearing loss. In many cases, however, your individual hearing abilities will be unique. Your hearing needs may even change over time (or change on a day to day basis!) We recommend you consider the flexibility of an amplified phone, making sure that it can be fine-tuned to your individual hearing level and that it can accommodate your specific hearing needs as they change over time.