TTY (Teletype Writer) is an important feature available on mobile phones that helps deaf and dumb people to make and receive calls. Through this feature, the user can type text on their smartphone and the other person does not need to hear their voice. This is extremely useful especially for people who are hard of hearing or deaf.
To use it, you can simply use your mobile and go to the dialer or call settings. Here you will find the accessibility option. Just tap on this and it will show you the options related to TTY, and here you can either disable or enable the TTY mode as per your requirement, as TTY has 3 modes – Full, VCO, and HCO.
Full Mode
As the name suggests, in Full Mode the communication takes place entirely through text. In this mode, both the parties send their message by typing and understand the messages sent by the other party by reading them. This mode is very useful for people who are both deaf and dumb.
VCO Mode
In VCO (Voice Carry Over) mode, one party can use their voice while the other party communicates via text. This mode is usually used by individuals who have low hearing ability but can speak.
HCO Mode
HCO (Hearing Carry Over) mode is just the opposite of VCO. In this, one party communicates via text while the other party talks using voice. This mode is useful for people who can hear but cannot speak.
The details of these three modes are as follows. The user can select any mode as per their requirement. This feature is a boon for deaf and dumb people as it helps them communicate with others easily.
Activating TTY mode on your smartphone is very easy. All you need to do is follow a few simple steps:
- Step 1: Go to your phone’s Call Settings (dialer settings) and tap on the “Accessibility” option.
- Step 2: In the Accessibility settings, find the “Hearing Aid” section or TTY and tap on it.
- Step 3: From the “Hearing Aid” options, select the “TTY Mode” option.
- Step 4: Now you will see three options – “Full”, “VCO” and “HCO”. You can choose any mode as per your requirement.
- Step 5: Toggle the switch next to the chosen mode on to activate it.
That’s it! Your phone is now ready for TTY mode. You can communicate with deaf or hearing impaired persons via text from anywhere and this option will appear when you dial a number like 911.
Some important things to keep in mind:
- – If you are using full mode, you need to turn off the speakers and microphones.
- – In VCO mode you only need to turn off the speaker.
- – In HCO mode you only need to turn off the microphone.
The TTY feature is a powerful tool on smartphones that helps meet the needs of deaf and dumb people. It makes it easier for them to communicate with others and saves them from loneliness and isolation. However, awareness about this facility is low and it should be promoted more so that more people can take advantage of it.
Certainly, technology and its innovations have played a vital role in empowering the weaker sections of our society. If you liked it, then please share TTY mode benefits with others and don’t forget to leave feedback!
