A relay service employs a communications assistant who acts as an intermediary on a phone call. The assistant translates between a text-based device or video sign language feed from one party and the spoken voice of the other party. This ensures accessible communication over the standard public switched telephone network.
Heard on the job
Hold on a second, I have a relay call coming in from a customer who needs to update their account details.
Also heard as
- telecommunications relay service
- TRS
Related terms
Person-to-person
An operator-assisted telephone call where billing only begins if a specifically named individual answers.
PSTN
The global infrastructure of circuit-switched telephone networks operated by national and regional carriers.
PBX
A private telephone network used within a company or organization.