Author: Ryan Layton
Deafpagers.com Blog Staff

We all use our pagers to keep in touch with our co-workers, friends, and family. Most of us use email, text messaging (SMS) and/or instant messaging (IM) to do this. Some of us may use relay services from our pagers via downloadable applications, WAP browsers, or via IM to make calls to hearing people. Not many of us are aware that some relay providers now offer free personal phone numbers that we can give out to hearing people so that they can call us directly, without the hassle of having to explain to them that they need to “call this number first, and give them my number, and we can talk that way.” When a hearing person calls your new free phone number, they will be automatically connected to an operator who will then attempt to find you online via IM, and presto, you’ve got an incoming IP relay call on your pager! This article will take a look at two competing services so that you can decide which one is right for you.

Verizon (formerly MCI) has had their version of this service, called http://www.ip-relay.com/myiprelaynumber.html (MyIP#) around for several years now. Go America’s i711.com recently debuted their version, called http://www.i711.com/callme/ (i711CM). To start using these services, you need to visit their respective websites and register - there is no cost to do so. The IP Relay website is pretty simple, but with a dated look. However, there is a link that takes you to an ASL video that explains their My IP Relay Number service. i711’s website looks much more current, but there is no ASL video. It is pretty clear for both sites where you need to click to begin the registration process to get your own free phone number.

Speaking of the phone number, each provider takes a different approach. If you choose i711CM, you will be allowed to select a toll- free number for your personal use. MyIP# has offered the ability to choose your number from pretty much any area code in the US. You may not be able to get the specific area code you want, but you will definitely be able to get an area code within the metro area that you want your number to be located in. However, you can’t beat getting your own toll-free number, and you know the odds of you getting a call back with a toll-free number are better than having the hearing person call your local number which could turn out to be a long distance call.

When you register, you will need to inform the services of your AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) screen name that you want to use for receiving calls. The nice thing about MyIP# is that you can designate up to six different AIM or even MSN screen names per number. When you receive an incoming call, the Verizon operator will then call the first screen name on your list, and if there is no response, they will continue down the list, etc. i711CM only allows you to link to one AIM screen name.

Another part of the registration has you putting down the email address where you want messages to be sent to, so be sure to put in your pager’s email address so you can receive messages while you are on the go. However, i711CM allows you to add a second email so that you can also get messages while you are at your computer. MyIP# does not offer this flexibility, but it can be easily solved using an email alias.

The nice thing about using these services is that you do not need to worry about being logged into AIM all the time. If you are not available, the relay operators for both providers will ask the caller if they want to leave you a message, and they type it up and send it to you via email. However, i711CM allows you to set up a “Personal Announcement” to be read to the caller when you are not available. This is basically an answering machine message that you can customize to your needs. I have used away messages in AIM to the same effect with MyIP#, but I am not sure if it is Verizon policy to have operators read the away messages to the caller. If you’re logged into AIM but don’t want to take the call, you can type “MSG” to the i711 operator, and they will act like you are not there, and ask the caller to leave a message. I’m sure this is also possible with Verizon’s MyIP#, but I do not know for sure.

What happens if you are expecting a call, and they leave a message but no number, or they don’t even leave a message? i711CM has you covered with their “Textmail with Caller ID” service. No matter who calls, or even if the caller calls and hangs up before the i711 operator even contacts you, you will receive an email with the number that attempted to call your toll free i711CM number, the date and time the call was placed, and a special URL that will allow you to call that number directly back via i711 relay. This all sounds good, but when I received some test calls from the same number, i711CM consistently mis-identified the originating phone number, making the call-back URL useless. MyIP# does identify the incoming phone number correctly, but you are only informed of this at the beginning of a relay conversation or in a message.

Verizon recently announced an enhancement to their My IP Relay Number service, called VRS Call Me (not to be confused with i711.com’s i711 Call Me). Basically what VRS Call Me does is it adds your videophone (VP) number/address to the bottom of the list of six IM screen names that you saw when you registered. When a call comes in to your MyIP#, and you’ve entered your VP info, Verizon operators will now try to contact you via VRS if they are unable to reach you by IM. You can even make things move over to VRS right away by telling the operator that calls you via IM, to “Connect to VRS”. Obviously this feature does not really work on the road, but imagine if you’re expecting an important call, you can always make sure you’re near a videophone. I would guess that if you asked the Verizon operator to connect to a different VP, it wouldn’t be a problem. In addition to calling via VRS, VRS Call Me now enables callers to your MyIP# to leave you messages via video. i711.com does not have any of this video capability set up for i711CM users.

Test calls made to both services went without a hitch. Both services contacted me on AIM nearly immediately after the hearing caller dialed my contact numbers. Communication was just like using any type of AIM based relay call. If I was not available, both services were able to make it easy for the hearing caller to leave me a message, and emails with the messages arrived very quickly after the call was completed. Like I mentioned earlier, i711CM apparently had a quirk where each time I was called from the same number, I was told the call was from several completely different numbers. The MyIP# calls were able to identify the call as coming from the correct phone number.

As you can see, there are many pros and cons to using both services, but for the time being, I will have to give a slight nod to i711.com only because having a 800 number for your personal contact is very useful, however it seems that their caller ID does not work correctly. In this highly competitive field of relay services, we consumers will only benefit as businesses such as these two enhance their offerings in their attempts to differentiate themselves from the competition. It is wonderful to have a phone number I can hand to any hearing person with NO explanation at all about relay use, and have had only positive successful contacts from them using both services.

My IP-Relay Number from IP-Relay/Verizon
Rating:
Pros: Service explained in ASL on their website, can have up to six different screen names, can also put your videophone (VP) number or IP address so that you can be reached via VRS, messages can be taken in text or video, can use either AIM or MSN screen names.
Cons: Only local numbers available - may deter some hearing callers if they have to call you long distance, only lets you use one email address to receive messages.

i711 Call Me from i711.com/GoAmerica
Rating:
Pros: Toll-free number, can receive messages at two different email addresses, personalized message when a caller is unable to reach you, you can ask operator to take a message if you don’t want to take the call.
Cons: Textmail with Caller ID does not identify correct number for caller, only can use one AIM screen name.